Fuel to the Fire
by Blonde Awesome M'Jane
Summary: Clary moves away from her old life in New York in hope to turn over a new leaf. But at her first day at the new school she meets the Lightwoods and finds out that she's not the only one with a secret and maybe she's not as alone as she thinks... C/J /AU
1. Chapter 1

****Disclaimer: I do not own MI that is the lovely Cassandra Clare whom I greatly admire! I do wish that I could buy it from her… Maybe that'll be my wish for Christmas?****

**A/N This is my first Mortal Instruments FanFic so please be nice! I know that Clary will be a little OOC but she know that she is a shadow-hunter in this one and she's had more than troublesome encounters in the past that had hardened her on the outside. **

**P.S. I'm terribly sorry if this chapter was boring, but I write like that most of the time… sorry! **

**Playlist:**

**Too much – All time low**

**For the win – We are the in crowd**

**Fuel to the Fire**

**Chapter 1**

"**What a waste, where did the time go?  
Where did our minds go? I don't know.  
What's this place? Where did my heart go?  
We'll never know, I'll never know..."**

**-All Time Low, Too much**

Clary Beaumanoir peeked her head out of the car tentatively. She was fighting the urge to just slam the door back shut, squeeze her eyes shut and hope for home, or just suck it up and head inside.

The school in front of her was big. It was nowhere near the size of the one she'd gone to in New York but it was bigger than she'd expected. Students were swarming the parking lot and the entrance was packed. People were laughing and having fun. It made her miss her old friends.

She leaned back into her car seat and slammed the door shut. She searched her bag for her Blackberry and then hit speed dial.

_Come on, come on, come on… _She chanted after the first dial went through. _Come on, come on-_

"Chrissie Dalton," a familiar voice rang.

"Hey, C," Clary said, smiling. Her best friend's voice was comforting; it was like being home again.

"OMFG!" Chrissie yelled, making Clary flinch away from the phone slightly. "Clary! OMG I miss you so much! I wish you were here."

"I miss you, too, C." She said, pouting. "At least you have Mickey and Sandra to keep you company at Waverly." She looked out the window, musingly. "And I swear to God I just saw a girl wearing Doc Martens! Help me!"

Chrissie laughed. "Eww… Come on, Clary, it can't be that bad… if it is I'll just send Cooper to kidnap you. He'd be more than willing, I'm sure."

Clary giggled. "You're probably right."

"Of course I am," she agreed. "Now, you and I both know that you look stunning. Wearing the outfit I suggested?"

Clary glanced down at her tight dark blue Cheap Monday jeans, Vivienne Westwood purple jersey top, Calvin Klein ankle boots with peep toes and her biker style leather jacket that she'd left open. She did look pretty hot. "Yes."

Chrissie snorted. "Then I fail to see your problem. Go in there and give them a reason to live their pathetic excuses for lives," cue eye-roll, "and try to have fun without me!"

"Fine," Clary agreed. "Love you. We'll talk later."

"Love you, too, Clary!" Chrissie hung up.

Clary grinned to herself before climbing out of the white BMW m6 that she greatly adored. She threw her bag over her shoulder and shut the door before locking it.

She could feel everyone's eyes on her as she walked towards the entrance. She liked the attention as much as she feared it. She _needed_ to fit in there. She glanced over at the girl she'd seen earlier, the one in the Doc Martens… maybe just not with her.

The inside of the school was filled with the schools colors, red, blue and white. There were also a lot of guys wearing those jock jackets that you get from playing like football. She also noticed that there were cheerleaders supporting the same colors.

When she reached her locker she quickly twisted in the numbers she'd memorized the night before. It clicked but when she tried to tug it open it didn't move. She tried again, more forcefully, but nothing.

"Damn it!" She growled and slammed her fist into the locker impatiently.

A low snicker came from behind her.

Clary turned around. A girl with long dark hair and sharp blue eyes in a cheerleading outfit stood there, grinning. "The lockers can be like that." She walked up to the locker and hammered her fist into the left corner. The locker popped right open. "You must be new. I'm Isabelle Lightwood, call me Izzie."

Clary smiled, gratefully. "Nice to meet you, I'm Clarissa Beaumanoir but please call me Clary."

Izzie raised a perfectly waxed eyebrow. "Clary it is. That last name sounds French, though."

"It is," Clary said, "But I'm not French. My dad is, though, I barely even know the language." My dad _was _French, she corrected in her head. She forced on a rehearsed smile.

Izzie nodded and shot her a small grin. "Cool. What class do you have? I'll walk you."

….

Isabelle Lightwood looked over at the girl who was clearly angry about her locker being stuck. It was really something that you'd have to get used to if you were going to be living in a small-ish town. It had its flaws. The school had yet to afford buying new lockers, seeing as most of the schools money went to support their successful football team and nationally ranked cheerleading squad.

Izzie walked over to the girl and snickered. The girl turned around a slight glare on her face.

Izzie looked her over, the girl had a small waist, slander, but with subtle curves in the right places, she had long red hair, which was obviously her natural color, with fabulous curls in it and fierce green eyes. She was beautiful; Izzie realized with a pang of righteous jealousy, this girl was maybe even prettier than her.

She reminded herself that the girl was new and would need someone to help her fit it. Seeing as Izzie was about the nicest popular person in the school and also needing a new member for their cheerleading squad, she figured that she would give this girl a hand.

….

At lunch, Clary only bought a coke from the diseased looking lunch lady, and then went to join Izzie at the table where she had been generously offered a seat.

She noticed that the table was filled with normal looking people with kind faces and real smiles. Clary smiled to herself, she'd found her crowd.

Izzie gestured for her to sit next to her and Clary applied gracefully. "Thanks."

Izzie grinned. "No problem and now for the epic introductions!"

Clary chuckled. All eyes turned to her and she didn't mind at all. "I'm Clary Beaumanoir." She introduced herself.

A tall, blonde and definitely handsome guy on the other side of Izzie gave her a cocky guy grin. "Hey, I'm Jace Lightwood." On most guys that attitude would be nauseating, and although it didn't really suit anyone, he was about as hot as you could get. He had tousled blonde hair that fell to above his shoulders in careless locks, he had mysteriously golden eyes and perfectly tanned skin that also shined.

Clary raised an eyebrow at the boy and looked over to Izzie. "Lightwood?"

Izzie smacked Jace on his arm. "Yes, I have the unfortunate task of being this ass's foster sister."

Jace just grinned and ran his hands through his hair. "You should call yourself lucky to be around the hotness all the time."

Clary snorted a half-laugh as Izzie smacked his arm again.

"I'm Rebecca," a small girl with short ash blonde hair said with a shy smile. She had really big eyes surrounded by thick eyelashes and curves to die for.

"Nice to meet you," Clary said with a wide grin. "You're not a cheerleader?"

Rebecca blushed and looked down at her bright pink cardigan. "Nope, I'm a dancer."

Clary's eyes lit up with excitement. "I used to dance back in New York! Do they have classes here?"

Rebecca nodded happily. She would truly appreciate a girl on their dance team that didn't insult her weight every chance they got. Clary seemed really nice. "Yes, there are. What did you dance in New York?"

"Umm, I did ballet, street and jazz mostly… I've also done a lot of gymnastics." Clary said.

Izzie perked up from the boredom she'd been in while they talked about _dancing_. "Gymnastics? You should try out for the cheerleading squad!"

Clary bit her lip. Cheerleading wasn't really her thing, but she'd hate to lose the first person that even spoke to her in this place. "Maybe, we'll see."

Izzie squealed with excitement and gave Clary a big hug. "Awesome!"

Across the table Rebecca sighed and began a discussion with another cheerleader about their English essay.

"I'm Simon," a guy with glasses and dark hair said from Clary's right.

Clary nodded at him, he had sort of a geeky vibe that she couldn't help but find kind of adorable. She'd had a gamer faze when she was younger.

"I'm Sebastian Verlac," a deep voice spoke.

She turned to see a tall boy with black hair and green eyes a couple of shades darker than her own. He was attractive, not like Jace, but… hot.

"Nice to meet you," Clary said and slowly turned the lid off of her coke bottle. She took a small sip and enjoyed the familiar taste before looking up again. Sebastian was still staring at her so she looked over to the last one at the table that she did not know the name of.

But as the boy opened his mouth to speak Clary was too focused at the familiar patterns that covered his skin to catch his name. Runes. He was a shadow-hunter.

"I'm sorry," Clary excused, looking into the boys blue eyes, "I didn't catch that?"

The boy shot her a half-smile. "I'm Alec Lightwood, Izzie's brother."

_Oh, shit, _Clary thought before turning to Isabelle. "Shadow-hunters?"

**A/N** **Cliff-hanger! Does that count as a cliff-hanger? I dunno… But please review if you want me to update faster! I slutty like that! So REVIEW to make me UPDATE FASTER!**


	2. Chapter 2

****Disclaimer: No, it is not I the great M'Jane that own MI that would be Cassandra Clare. But I thank you FF for pouring salt into my already aching wound!** ;)**

**A/N: So this is the second chapter and I am sick as I'm posting this might be short and kind of sucky but I tried my best on it. **

**P.S. Thanks to you all who reviewed!**

**Playlist: **

**Down – Jason Walker**

**Clary's song –**

**Haunted – Taylor Swift**

**On the radio – **

**We R who we R - Kesha**

**Fuel to the Fire**

**Chapter 2**

"**I can't find another way around,**

**And I don't want to hear the sound, **

**Of losing what I never found."**

**-Jason Walker**

"_Shadow-hunters?"_ Clary merely whispered but it was enough to catch the attention of the three people at the table with heightened hearing abilities.

Izzie grabbed Clary's arm and turned to the group. "I have to show Clary the quad! Jace, Alec, you'll come."

Both the boys nodded looking seriously confused. Did she know? Was she a shadow-hunter? Why the hell had she seen through Alec's glamour?

Clary let Izzie drag her out of the cafeteria. They just kept walking until they were outside and heading towards an empty park bench.

Clary sat down and crossed her legs gracefully while looking quite bored. On the inside, she was reeling, what the hell was going on? There wasn't supposed to be other shadow-hunters here!

"What are you?" Jace was the first to speak. For some reason this girl kind of intrigued him, she hadn't swooned at the sight of him, she was gorgeous and now with the shadow-hunter comment. Something was up.

Clary looked up at him, defiance clear in her emerald eyes. "I'm a girl, obviously."

Isabelle sighed and rolled her eyes at Clary's poor attempt at playing dumb. "Just say it! What the hell are you?"

Clary gritted her teeth. "I'm a shadow-hunter."

Isabelle couldn't hold back the gasp that escaped her lips. Alec and Jace shared a look at their sister. "Oh my Angel!"

Clary shook her head in awe of that girl. Was she seriously a shadow-hunter? She was just so… girlie… ridiculously so. Clary enjoyed good fashion, manicures, pedicures but she had never met anyone quite so… immature. It was both refreshing and disturbing in a way.

"This is so awesome! I'm not the only female shadow-hunter in this town. Hell yeah!" Izzie gushed and threw her arms around Clary for a hug. "We have to go demon hunting together and-"

Clary gently pushed Izzie off of her. "Look, Isabelle, I came here specifically to get away from shadow-hunters. I would appreciate it if we could remain friends… just not like parabati or anything, okay?"

Clary sighed and instead of waiting for a response she turned to Alec and Jace. "Umm, boys, that counts for you too. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

She began walking off; leaving three confused shadow-hunters behind her.

When she reached the entrance she heard Izzie call after her. "We will be friends Clary, I can be very persistent!"

Clary smirked to herself before pushing the doors open. She walked slowly and tried to remember what class she had next when she recalled that this was her free period.

She turned to another direction and headed for the choir room. She'd had music earlier and was in a much needed state of mind for some artistic release.

Clary made sure that the choir room was completely empty before grabbing a guitar and sitting down at a chair. She took a deep breath before gently splaying her fingers across the strings.

"You and I walk a fragile line. I have known it all this time but I never thought I'd live to see it break. It's getting dark and it's all too quiet. And I can't trust anything now. And it's coming over you like it's all a big mistake."

…

Jace walked the halls almost ignorantly, not seeing the waves he got from friends, not really hearing the people shouting hello to him. His mind was far to occupied with _Clary_.

He was angry with her for basically telling them that she had no interest in knowing any of them and what angered him the most was the fact that he actually _cared_.

"And I can't trust anything now. And it's coming over you like it's all a big mistake." A beautiful voice sang.

He stopped dead and turned in the direction of the choir room. The voice was familiar yet strange. He could recognize the hurt and true emotion in every note.

He opened the door to the choir room silently and quickly slid behind some old set items that were nicely shaded so that whoever was singing couldn't see him. He peeked out and saw a halo of red hair bent over a guitar. Clary.

"Oh, I'm holding my breath. Won't loose you again. Something's made your eyes go cold."

Jace noticed Clary taking a deep breath before singing again.

"Come on, come on, don't leave me like this. I thought I had you figured out. Something's gone terribly wrong. You're all I wanted. Come on, come on, don't leave me like this. I thought I had you figured out. Can't breathe whenever you're gone. Can't turn back now, I'm haunted.

Stood there and watched you walk away. From everything we had. But I still mean every word I said to you. He would try to take away my pain. And he just might make me smile. But the whole time I'm wishing he was you instead.

Oh, I'm holding my breath  
Won't see you again  
something keeps me holding on to nothing

Come on, come on, don't leave me like this. I thought I had you figured out. Something's gone terribly wrong. You're all I wanted. Come on, come on, don't leave me like this. I thought I had you figured out. Can't breathe whenever you're gone. Can't turn back now; I'm haunted

I know, I know, I just know  
You're not gone. You can't be gone. No.

Come on, come on, don't leave me like this. I thought I had you figured out. Something's gone terribly wrong. Won't finish what you started. Come on, come on, don't leave me like this. I thought I had you figured out. Can't breathe whenever you're gone. Can't go back, I'm haunted

Oh

You and I walk a fragile line. I have known it all this time. Never ever thought I'd see it break. Never thought I'd see it..."

Clary's eyes were bleary when she looked up from the guitar. She blinked away tears before roughly putting down the guitar and stalking out without a second glance back.

Jace stepped out of the shadows and tried to take in what he'd seen. He knew those feelings all too well. Clary had a past, something had made her reject the world that she belonged to and damn it if Jace couldn't relate. He left the Choir room in even more of a daze than before.

…

When I left the choir room I had no real wish to stay at school. It was almost too much for her to handle. Shadow-hunter at her new school, she really liked Isabelle, but she couldn't handle what had happened before. No one would ever use her again; she would never let herself be hurt like that ever again. That was the promise that she had made to herself and she was more than inclined to keep it.

She walked to her locker and grabbed her bag before heading to the BMW.

She clicked on the unlock button. Just as she was about to climb in someone caught her arm.

She turned around to see Isabelle standing there. "Wait, Clary… If you don't want to be involved in the shadow-hunter world I will accept that… but can we please be friends?"

Clary looked for deceit in Izzie's eyes but only seemed to find pleading. That girl had a mean pair of puppy-dog eyes. "Fine," she gave up with a sigh.

Izzie giggled and gave Clary a pat on the shoulder. "Sweet!"

Clary gave her a weak smile and opened the door to the BMW. "Need a ride?"

Isabelle nodded her head quickly up and down and ran over to the passenger seat. "Awesome!"

Both the girls climbed in and grinned to each other before turning on the car. The radio blasted out Kesha's **(A/N: I couldn't find the dollar sign thingy on my keyboard. Can you call me a retard or what?) **We R who we R.

Isabelle turned up the volume began singing along with the radio. "Got that glitter on my eyes!"

Clary looked at Izzie a little bit surprised but chose to follow her lead. "Stocking s ripped all up the side!"

"Looking sick and sexy fight!" Isabelle sang out in a pretty accurate imitation of Kesha's voice. "So let's go-go-go let's go!"

"Oh, oh, 'cause tonight we're going hard, hard ha-ha-hard just like the world is ours, ours o-o-ours, we're tearing it apart, we R who we R!"

When the song ended both the girls were giggling and laughing their asses off. "OMG that was so much fun!" Isabelle said through a chuckle.

Clary nodded. "Yeah, we could so be the next American idols!"

After their laughter kind of died out Clary looked over at Izzie. "Umm, where do you live?"

Isabelle supplied her with the address and began giving her directions when Clary began laughing again. "What?"

"You're my neighbors!" Clary squealed.

Isabelle smiled at Clary's enthusiasm. There really was no doubt about it. They were going to be great friends.

…

When Jace got home from school, still thinking about a special little redhead, he almost missed the definitely fine piece of machinery that was parked in their drive-way.

He frowned as he walked inside. "Izzie? Alec, you home?"

Isabelle almost flew down the stairs dragging someone behind her. "Hey, Jace! Look who's our new next door neighbor!"

Clary shot him a hesitant smile. "Hey, Jace."

Jace gulped as he took in the petite perfection that she was. "'Sup, Red?"

Clary scowled at him. "Don't. Call. Me. That."

Jace frowned and the jackass in him took over. "And why is that, Red."

Clary flinched and she turned to Isabelle while stalking over to the door. "Umm, I'll talk to you tomorrow, Izz."

Isabelle nodded. "Fine-"

She was shut up by the front door slamming shut.

Izzie turned to Jace with a death glare set on her face. "Why are you such a freaking ass? Clary is such a sweet girl, if you ever treat her wrong I will personally nuder you!"

Jace stared after Clary feeling like crap. Isabelle was right. He shouldn't have treated her like that. _Ugh_, he thought to himself, _I am turning into such a girl! This madness must stop! I do not care what some silly girl thinks of me. _

Jace only shot his sister a glance before disappearing into his room, a new plan forming in his mind. How to not care about Clary, matched perfectly with his other plan, be a complete douche to Clary. She was, after all, just another girl. Or, that was what he was trying to convince himself of even though every fiber or his being thought differently.

**A/N: No cliff-hanger this time! But next chapter it will be some more Jace/Clary moments I hope. Love ya, and remember when you REVIEW it make me UPDATE FASTER! **


	3. Chapter 3

****Disclaimer: I do not own any of the MI character... I do own Rebecca, Chrissie, Mickey, Amber and Dean... though I would rather have Jace, of course. Oh! I don't own Shane Dawson either.****

**A/N: Hello! Thanks for all your awesome reviews! And thanks for the "get better" 'cause I _really_ want to! But, hey, when I'm at home all the time at least I can update faster! **

**I'm sorry of you don't like Shane Dawson or maybe don't know who he is but I really like him and if you don't then just ignore it. Sending me hate-mail won't help anyone ;)**

**P.S. I don't really _love_ that song by Katy Perry but the lyrics just kind of inspired this chapter so I hope you'll like it anyway! And I will be posting outfits for this chapter as soon as possible!**

**Sorry if its short, btw!**

**Playlist: **

**Cry – Jason Walker**

**Pearl – Katy Perry**

**Like a G6 – Far *east movement **

**Fuel to the Fire**

**Chapter 3**

"**Oh, she used to be a pearl... Oh  
Yeah, she used to rule the world... Oh  
Can't believe she's become a shell of herself  
'Cause she used to be a pearl"**

**Katy Perry - Pearl**

Clary slammed the front door shut behind her as she stormed into her house. Her breath was coming in shallow gasps and her eyes were tearing up. She leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes.

The memories that had been terrorizing her for almost a year were rushing through her head.

_**Flashback**_

"_Come on, Red! Don't you trust me?" Jonathon called and stuck his hand out for his little sister so hold on to. "Come on!"_

_Clary meekly nodded. "Of course, Jon."_

_Jonathon smiled. "Then let's go..."_

_Clary grinned at her brother. "Yeah, you're right. We've taken on worse demons than this."_

_**End of Flashback**_

Clary slid down the wall and collapsed onto her knees.

_**Flashback**_

"_I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you, sis..." Jonathon whispered. "We can't take this demon. Go, Clary! Run!"_

"_No, Jon!" Clary screamed. "No matter how incredible cliche this sounds, I am not leaving you!"_

"_Dad will be here any second, Red. He would kill me if anything happened to you. Go!" Jon shouted as he fended off the greater demon. "_Please_, Clary!"_

_**End of Flashback**_

Clary opened her eyes. She roughly pushed away the tears with her hands.

"Damn," she murmured and shakily stood up. "I got to make that stop happening." She put her hand against the wall and began slowly making her way into the kitchen. She needed some water.

…

The next day Clary got dressed in a pair of grey skinny jeans, a grey scarf, the most delicious platform boots with bad-ass heels, Chanel stud earrings and her favorite Shane Dawson t-shirt with the I heart Nerds logo on it. As much as she adored every couture brand from France to Italy she loved Hot-topic even more.

When she looked in the mirror she knew that she looked good even though her eyes were red and cheeks puffy. She had seen better days. She absently picked up her foundation and began applying it to her face. With all her makeup in place she looked close to normal. She put on a smile. Like herself... no... a shell of herself. She bit her lower lip.

Someone honked their horn outside. Clary looked out her window to see Isabelle there waving at her from her black Porsche.

Clary bounced down the stairs. "Bye, Mom!" She called into no special direction.

Jocelyn stuck her head out of the kitchen. "Bye, darling! See you later."

"Yeah," Clary shot her Mom a half-smile before running out to Isabelle.

She climbed into the empty front seat. "Hey, Izz!"

"Hey, Clary," Isabelle grinned at her new friend. "I like the outfit..." She gave Clary a quick once over and noticed the shirt. "OMG Shane Dawson? I love him!"

Clary smiled and also noted that Isabelle wasn't in her Cheerleading uniform. "He's so awesome!"

"OMFG he is such a hottie, too!" A mocking voice came from the backseat.

Clary glanced back to see Jace sitting there, smirking. "Well, hello Clare!"

Clary glared. "It's Clary, _actually_."

Jace's smirk grew larger. "But, come on, you know we close friends give each other nicknames, right?"

"Oh, I see, thanks for the tip, asshat!"

"Asshat?" Jace asked. "You need to work on your insults. And I happen to have a great ass."

Clary raised her eyebrows. "Not as great as mine."

Isabelle burst out laughing. "Jace, I love her! She totally owns you."

Clary leaned back in her seat. "Thank you, Izzie."

…

Jace was in misery. There should be a law against being tortured by those legs... in those shoes with that snug fitting top... _Snap out of it!_

He walked behind Izz and Clary while they talked about makeup and that dude Shane Dawson that was quote _"hilarious and totally, seriously awesome at the same time"_. He couldn't help but notice that most of her smiles were forced and that her laughs seemed strained. She was good at hiding it but he could see right through it. Her emerald green eyes were not as alive as they'd been yesterday. He wondered what had happened to her. She just seemed so...broken.

He sighed. Even is she was it was not his place to help. He was just as broken himself.

Isabelle snapped him out of his daze. "Jace! Look alive, bro! Me and Clary are going to Pandemonium tonight. You coming?"

Jace grinned and glanced at Clary who was staring at her blackberry. "Sure."

…

Chrissie Dalton smiled to herself and gestured for Mickey to join her at their table. "Hey, M."

"Hey, Chris." Mickey said with a half-smile.

Chrissie frowned. Mickey had seemed down ever since Clary left but so had everyone. Manhattan hadn't been the same without that spunky redhead. Clary had changed before she left, Chrissie was the only one who knew what happened to her. She knew Clary's secret and she knew what had happened to Jon and Valentine.

Mickey sat down and twirled a long brown hair between her fingers. "I miss Fairchild."

Chrissie smacked Mickey on the head. "It's Beaumanoir now."

Mickey sighed. "Oh... right. I still miss Clary, though. I wish we could visit her."

Chrissie nodded. "I do, too..."

Amber slammed her calculus book down on the table. "OMG why don't we go visit her."

Chrissie smiled. She was worried about her best friend, I mean, who wouldn't be, and it would be amazing to see her again...

Mickey jumped in her chair. "That would be so awesome!"

"I agree," Chrissie said taking a sip of her non-fat vanilla latte. "We'll ask Dean to come too. You know they're close."

Amber grinned. "We'll make it a group-trip!"

Mickey looked up from her bedazzled Blackberry. "I just texted everyone. We're leaving in an hour! But I told Dean to try and keep Marcus away you know how he is..." All three girl nodded sympathetically.

"Oh!" Chris exclaimed and flashed them her phone. "And now we know where to find her tonight."

-GOING TO SOME CLUB CALLED PANDEMONIUM TONIGHT WITH SOME NEW FRIENDS. WISH ME LUCK! -CLARY

…

After letting Isabelle use her for a mannequin for about two hours she was finally allowed to look in the mirror. Clary was in a short bright blue Sonia Rykiel dress that hugged her petite frame in all the right places, it was strapless and corset style. It was _amazing_! Her hair was in loose glamorous curls and her makeup was impeccable. Isabelle was a magic worker.

Clary squeaked and gave Izzie a hug. "I look great! Thank you." Izz giggled and they jumped around the room excitedly. Clary frowned when she saw Isabelle's bare arm.

Clary stopped and grabbed Izzie's forearm. "You're runes are showing... here let me fix it..." She pulled her steele out of one of her boots.

Isabelle narrowed her eyes at the redhead. "I thought you didn't want to be a part of the shadow-hunter world?"

Clary rolled her eyes and drew the rune onto her arm. The runes faded away. "That should do it."

"Thanks," Izz said and grabbed her purse. "You ready to go?"

Clary nodded. "Yup."

"Great, because I can't wait to see Jace's face when he sees you in that outfit."

Clary shook her head with a snort. "Mm-hmm."

The two girls descended down the Lightwood's huge staircase to see Jace, Simon, Alec and Rebecca waiting. Jace looked good... smokin'... hot... whatever, it was all useless facts do to the arrogant smirk on his face.

Clary smiled when she saw Rebecca. "Hey, Becca."

Rebecca ran up and hugged her. "Hey, Clary, I am so glad you're here. Si wouldn't stop talking about comics with me."

Jace laughed and slapped Simon on the shoulder.

Clary glared at Jace but softened her expression when she turned to Simon and winked. "I like World of Warcraft, you know?"

Simon blushed and looked over at Jace with a "take that" look.

Clary hooked her arms through Isabelle's and Rebecca's and walked up to the boys. "Pandemonium here we come."

…

Torture. It was... torture watching Clary dance in that dress. She looked amazing. The dude that had his arms around her... not so much.

Jace downed his Sprite and stalked over to her. He ripped the guy off of her with unnecessary force and glared at him until he just danced away into the crowd.

He was about to return to the bar when Clary linked her arms around his neck and pulled him close. Jace instantly responded with linking his arms around her small waist, loving the feeling of having her in his arms.

"Thanks for that," Clary said, looking up at him through her lashes. "Guys won't stop bothering me. I don't think they've heard of personal space."

Jace snickered most girls would love that attention. Clary was one of a kind, that was for sure. "Well, why are you dancing with me then?" He was really curious to know the answer.

"I know you," she stated simply. "You may be an asshat, but, I still think that there might be a good guy underneath all that."

Jace snorted. "Good luck with that. There's not a good thing in me."

Clary's eyes softened. "Me either. We might be more alike then I thought."

They're eyes met and they stayed connected. It was like an electric current humming between them.

"Clary Fairchild." A deep voice stated angrily from their side.

Jace instinctively pulled Clary closer to him. A guy a bit taller than Jace with dark hair and grey eyes stood there, glaring at Jace.

"_Dean_?" Clary asked, frowning.

"Surprise." Dean said, sarcastically.

****

**A/N: Ha! I can't wait for the next chapter. What do you guys want to happen? And remember your REVIEWS make me UPDATE FASTER! And you should check out Daniel Adams-Ray (if you haven't) he's like Swedish or something. I love him! His song Gubben I Lådan is awesome even though I don't understand anything he's saying!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey, guys! And pat on the back for the one that called Jace punching someone! I'm sorry, but I had to put it in. Hot guys fighting is just so _hot_! Hate the game don't hate the writer!**

**Playlist: **

**You don't belong – Daughtry**

**Like a knife – Secondhand serenade**

**Fuel to the Fire**

**Chapter 4**

"**Goodbyes are meant for lonely people standing in the rain  
And no matter where I go it's always pouring all the same.  
These streets are filled with memories  
Both perfect and in pain"  
- Secondhand serenade, Like a knife**

"Dean," Clary broke free of Jace's warm arms and took a step closer to Dean. "What are you doing here?"

Dean looked at Clary with hurt evident on his face. "I came here to visit my _girlfriend_."

Just as Clary was about to speak Jace intervened. "That's funny because Clary hasn't mentioned a boyfriend."

"Is that so?" Dean looked down at Clary, angrily now.

Clary stepped away from his harsh gaze. She bumped into something solid and looked back to see Jace standing there. He put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a look that said everything. It said "I'm here for you."

Clary smiled up at him for a second before turning back to Dean who was fuming. "Dean, we're not together."

"Good," Dean said with a smug grin at Jace.

Jace wanted to laugh at him, he clearly misunderstood what Clary was trying to say.

"I mean, you and me," she gestured between herself and Dean, "_we _are not together."

"But..." Dean said, at a loss for words. Then he realized something. "It's because of _him_ isn't it?" Pointing at Jace.

Jace shot him a smirk. "The name's Jace."

Dean's eye twitched. "Seriously, you choose _him_ over me?"

Clary frowned. "I moved away Dean and now that you asked, yes, I would chose Jace over you. He's my _friend_. And you and me are over."

"Clary you're only saying that because of what happened with Jonathon. When you get over that you're going to want me back. You'll see."

Clary looked at him in disgust. How she'd ever been with him was a mystery.

Then too fast for Jace to react to Dean pulled Clary to him and kissed her. Clary tried to push against his chest and pull away but he held her too tight.

Then Dean was thrown off of her. And when she looked up Dean was throwing a punch straight into Jace's jaw. Jace barely even flinched (shadow-hunter, duh!) and returned the blow straight into Dean's eye.

Clary stepped in between them before it got any worse. "Stop it, you guys! Calm down." She looked at Jace softly and mouthed "thank you." He just nodded in acknowledgment. "Dean, I want you to leave."

Dean just stared making no move to go.

"She wants you to leave, dude." A voice came from behind them.

"Ryan," Clary breathed in relief. "Its good to see you again."

Ryan winked at her and then looked at Dean, scowling. "You want me to take him out?"

Clary laughed nervously. "If you mean take him out of the club then, yes!"

Ryan rolled his eyes. "You're too nice, Clary." Then he grabbed Dean's arm and pulled him away from them. "Oh!" He turned back to them. "Chrissie, Amber and Micky are here, too. Don't know where, though."

Clary groaned. "This is such a blast from a not so distant past."

"Clary," Jace said, roughly. "You can go find you friends now. I'll talk to you later."

"Thank you," Clary whispered as Jace disappeared into the crowd. Clary took her Blackberry out of her bag and texted Chrissie.

**-MEET ME THE BAR IN 10 -CLARY**

Only seconds later she got a text back.

**-I'LL B THERE -CHRISSIE**

…

Chrissie ordered a cocktail with her fake ID and sat down at the bar. She spotted a fine looking blonde that looked good enough to eat but he was talking, or more like arguing, with a tall dark haired girl so that was a no go. There was no chance that they were related, he was blonde for crying out loud!

"Do you know that guy, Clary?" Chris asked her best friend.

Clary took another sip of the strawberry daiquiri that Chrissie had ordered for her and nodded. "Yup, he goes to my school! And the girl he's talking to that's Izzie she's my new friend!"

Chrissie frowned. "Are they _together_?"

"No!" Clary laughed, feeling the buzz. "They're siblings... sorta."

"Good enough for me," Chrissie said, sneakily and began making her way over to the pair.

Clary was careful to hold her daiquiri steady while she ran after Chris. "Wait!"

"Hey, Clary!" Isabelle gushed and pulled Clary in for a hug.

Clary gently pulled out of it and gestured her drink. "Watch it! I don't want to spill it..."

Jace rolled his eyes at the brunette girl who was practically eye raping him. "I'm Jace," he introduced. "And I'm not interested."

Chrissie sighed and turned to Clary. "We should get more drinks."

"No!" Jace and Isabelle yelled at the same time.

Jace put his hands on the lost looking Clary's shoulders. "Clary are you drunk?" Head shake. "Tipsy?" Nod. "Clary are you drinking because of Dean?" Head shake. "Then why are you drinking?"

Clary's eyes threatened to tear up and she blinked rapidly for a second. "Jon."

"Oh, sweetie!" Chris cooed. "It's okay."

Clary shook her head. "No. It's not. And it hurts to be reminded of it, C!" She pointed a finger to her heart. "I hurts _here_." Her lip quivered and a single tear rolled down her cheek. "I want you to leave. I can't see you right now. I'm sorry."

Chrissie didn't hold back her tears. "I didn't know, Clary. I'm _so_ sorry. I'll go, just call me when you're ready." Then she backed away into the crowd.

Clary sniffled and handed her drink to Izzie. "Can we go home now?"

…

Jace was relieved when Clary told them that her mother was out of town for tonight. She did not need to see her daughter in this state. Clary had been through a lot tonight.

He picked Clary up from the backseat and held her bridal-style with her arms hanging loosely around his neck. "I'll take her home." He told Isabelle who nodded and silently walked into their house.

Jace carried Clary to her house and followed her instructions on where the key was and where to find her bedroom. He was surprised that her room mostly consisted of a deep purple color and that unlike his room it was very neat. He gently laid her down on her bed and sat down at the end of it. "Are you going to be okay."

Clary nodded unconvincingly. "I'll be fine."

Jace rolled his eyes. "You're lying."

"How do you know?" She asked quietly, propping herself up on her elbows.

"I just do," Jace whispered. He sighed frustratedly and pushed his hair out of his face. "You don't have to answer this, Clare but why did Dean call you Fairchild in there?" That one had been eating at him all night. He didn't like being in the dark, especially when it came to someone he cared about. And he did care about Clary.

Clary gasped quietly. She had forgotten about that. "That's my real name, Clarissa Fairchild."

Jace frowned. "I heard that name before."

She laughed shakily. "I'm not surprised. Me and my Mom changed our names before we moved. We came to move on, you know? After..." She gulped.

"Its okay," Jace whispered, cupping her small face in his hands. "You don't have to tell me anything that you're not ready to. I understand."

She nodded, surprised at how incredibly sweet he was being. "Thanks again Jace. You've done a lot for me tonight." She leaned in and kissed his cheek before laying back down again. "Goodnight, Jace."

"Night, Clare." He murmured and stood up.

He switched the light off before leaving her room. As he leaved Clary's house he tried to remember where he'd heard that name before. Clarissa Fairchild... _Jonathon_ Fairchild!

He ran the last few steps to his house and straight into his room. He went over to his desk and searched through a stack of papers. "Aha!" He whispered and pulled out a folder. He pulled out the list of the top 10 shadow-hunters in the world under eighteen.

_**Jace Wayland**_

_**Jonathon Fairchild**_

_**Clary Fairchild...**_

Jace frowned down at the picture by Jonathon Fairchild. The guy looked about as old as Jace with blonde hair and emerald eyes. Eyes that he'd seen before on someone else. Clary.

Clary had a brother.

Jace groaned as the pieces clicked inside his head. "Oh, Angel! Clary _had_ a brother."

…

Clary woke up with a gasp the next morning. Her head was pounding and she could tell just by experience that she looked like crap. Then last night came flying back to her. Jace knew about her last name and he knew about Jon even though he didn't know who Jonathon was, thank God.

She had seen a different side of Jace last night but that didn't mean that she trusted him yet. But a small part of her disagreed, she might not trust him yet... but she was beginning to.

Clary groaned. "I am not crushing on my asshat neighbor!"

**A/N: **Mental happy-dance** Jace had a revelation and so did Clary! Amazing, right? I know this chapter kinda sucked... at least I think so a little bit. I'm hyped up on some drug my doctor gave and I'm feeling kind of fuzzy. Sorry! But REVIEW to make me UPDATE FASTER! **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hi, guys!**** First of all, this chapter is kind of angsty and sucky and short, but I hope you like it anyways! There's not much Clace in it but I promise you some in the next chapter + I need at least ****50 REVIEWS FOR ME TO UPDATE**** because… well… I want reviews, okay! I know you hate me, blah, blah, blah, but my self-confidence in writing is on your shoulders. Yes, am talking to YOU! (Lawl!) **

**Playlist:**

**Handlake Village – Takida**

**Fuel to the Fire**

**Chapter 5**

"Looking at a photograph, the hands starts shaking,  
tears are falling so fast.  
I will not get over that, the mainstay has fallen, she passed away.  
The store is not open, trees have fallen but you still giving light.  
The pride is not broken, it still lingers on, the fight  
the fight's already won."

Takida – Handlake Village

SUNDAY

Clary sat by her desk casually responding to her new friend requests on Facebook while thinking about Jace. Jace. He was a problem. He knew her real lastname, he knew about _Jon_. She knew that she would have to stay away from him. It was for his own good. Clary was broken, she knew it, and now… he knew it, too.

She sighed and stared at the names of her newest friend requests **Jace Lightwood **and **Isabelle Lightwood**. She took a deep breath and bit her lip hard as she hit the deny button. She slammed her laptop lid shut and got out of her chair. She ran a hand through her messed up curls and just stood there for a while. "FML," she mumbled almost inaudibly before grabbing a tank and a pair of boy shorts and going to shower.

MONDAY

It was hard to avoid Isabelle, Alec and Jace. It wasn't even safe for her to be talking to Rebecca anymore. They were friends. She'd only known them for a short while but she still seemed more familiar with them than she ever did with her old friends from New York. _Except maybe Ryan_, she thought with a smile.

_*Flashback*_

"_Come on, Jon!" Clary yelled from the bleachers. She watched as her brother ran across the field, passing the ball to another player who Clary recognized as Ryan Coulder, a senior and Jon's best friend. _

_Ryan caught her looking and shot her a grin from the field._

_Clary waved her hand a bit in recognition. Ryan was a sweet guy, he had like a ton of muscles but a teddy bear attitude. He was about the sweetest guy she'd ever met. They were nothing but friends though, and thanks to Jon, he was kind of like her second older brother. _

_After the game, she and Jon__ stayed back at the field while the rest of the team to Ryan's house for a victory party. _

"_So…" Jonathan said and plopped down on the grass. "How do you feel about learning soccer?"_

_Clary smiled and sat down opposite to him. "I think its fun to watch. But I don't think I could ever be as good as you."_

_Jon __laughed. "You _think_? No, but seriously, I should teach you. I am your brother after all."_

"_Why should I learn it?" Clary asks, curious. _

"_Because its fun," Jon says, grinning. "And… I think that you will really like playing it. You are even more competitive than me!"_

_Clary laughed and punched his arm. "Am not!"_

_Jon raised an eyebrow, mostly to annoy his sister since he knew that she couldn't do it herself. "Remember that time you almost got killed by a Ravener demon because, and I quote, 'I am a much better fighter than you, Jon, and it should be me to kill it'."_

_Clary chuckled. "I was _twelve_! And I had just gotten my runes!" _

_Jon half-smiled. "And I saved you."_

_After about an hour of chatting and messing around Jonathan stood up and brushed himself off. "Now, you're going to learn how to play soccer. It'll be fun. Promise." He put his hand out to give his little sister a hand up. _

_Clary grinned and took his hand. "I'm only going to learn so I can kick your ass someday."_

_*End of flashback*_

Clary brought her Blackberry out of her pocket and dialled the familiar number. "Hey, Ry." She said hoping that she didn't sound too depressed.

"_What's wrong, Clary?" _Ryan asked. There was no getting by him.

"Nothing," she whispers. "I'm just thinking about Jon." She leaned back against her locker. "I just really miss him."

Ryan sighs. _"I miss him, too, Fairchild." _He never called her Beaumanoir. _"And I miss _you_, too."_

Clary giggled. "I miss you, too, Ry. You always reminded me so much of Jonathan. You're just like him. How he was."

"_I'm really honoured you think so, he was a great guy. The best." _Ryan said, seriously.

Clary smiled, tears in her eyes. "Thank you, Ryan. I needed to hear… that. It's good to know that he's missed by someone else than just me and Mom. Remembered."

"_I know," _Ryan murmured, sounding sad.

She saw Isabelle approaching her, looking a little pissed off and looking straight at Clary. Clary quickly murmured some shitty excuse about class beginning and hung up on Ryan. She tried to walk away but she felt a hand on her arm. Pulling her back. She tried to look innocent as she turned around. "Hey, Izz, what's up?"

Isabelle narrowed her eyes. "You know exactly 'what's up', Clary. You've been avoiding me… no you've been avoiding all of us!"

Clary tried to look shocked at this statement. "I have not!"

Isabelle rolled her eyes. "You're a terrible liar, Clarissa."

"Isabelle," Clary chided, "I have not been avoiding you." Then she flinched as she heard just how fake her words sounded.

Izzie snorted and then looked at Clary with pleading eyes. "Clary, just be honest with me! I thought we were friends…"

Clary looked away from Isabelle's puppy dog eyes. "We are, Izz, but I need some time. I came here to get away from shadow-hunters, get away from what all of you _love_!"

"Why, Clary? Why don't you tell me what your problem with it is?" Isabelle said, throwing her arms out.

Clary was so wrapped up in their argument that she didn't even notice that everyone in the hallway were sneaking glances at them.

"Because!" Clary yelled. "Can't you see that it hurts?" She whispers, pulling Isabelle close so that no one else will hear. "It hurts to know what shadow-hunting does to people. It ruins lives." She sniffed, tears reappearing in her eyes. "It sure as hell ruined mine." Then she yanks her arm out of Isabelle's grip and stalks down the hall and out the door. She needed some air.

TUESDAY

Clary didn't even bother going to school. She couldn't face Isabelle again. Clary had completely lashed out on her. It hadn't been fair. But Clary had been telling the truth. She used to be so… normal. Even as a shadow-hunter who had to hide her real life from everyone she was sweet, caring and optimistic. Her life had been great, she'd had her mundane boyfriend Dean, she had the best older brother in the world, she was a famous shadow-hunter and she really felt happy.

Now she was wearing thin down to the core. She felt like she was hanging on by a single ray of hope. The hope that things would get better. That someday it wouldn't hurt so much. She would know that Jon was in a better place and finally have some peace of mind. But that wasn't happening anytime soon, Clary was sure of it.

She pulled her blinds shut and threw herself down on her bed. She let tears streak down her face, not caring. She thrust around in the bed, it was too comfortable. She jumped out of bed with a speed that only shadow-hunters could maintain. She screamed at the top of her head. "Ahhhh!" Her whole body tensed and she grabbed hold of a picture of her and Jonathon standing in the middle of a park, grinning at the camera. The glass dotted with tears and her hands gripped the frame tightly. Her lips twisted into a grimace and she threw the picture into the wall. It was like the world was frozen for a minute and she just stood there, staring at the wall.

Then she slowly walked over to where the now broken picture laid, stepping around the many shards of glass. She picked the picture out of the frame and dusted the last pieces of glass off of it. "I miss you," she whispered.

Then she put the picture down on her desk. She couldn't act like this. It was weak. She could only imagine how disappointed Jonathan and Valentine would be in her. Then she made a decision. She couldn't survive without friends; she was already hanging by a thread. And she would be lying if she said that she didn't feel better around Isabelle and… Jace.

With shaky hands she picked up her Blackberry and texted Isabelle.

**HEY, I FEEL TERRIBLE ABOUT OUR FIGHT AND I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT YOU'LL FORGIVE ME. ****I NEED TO KILL SOMETHING. BRING JACE AND ALEC TO PANDEMONIUM TONIGHT. WE'RE GOING DEMON HUNTING. –Clary**

A few minutes later she got a text back.

**GR8! THIS'LL BE A BLAST. MEET U THERE 8! –Isabelle**

**A/N: I'm sorry for the wait and just know that I thank all of you who have reviewed so far. But for the next chapter I am going to need 50 REVIEWS! I'll feel bad for keeping you waiting but still… I WANT 50 REVIEWS FOR ME TO UPDATE! Love ya!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: HELLO! I was really inspired for this chapter… which is also kind of angsty but stay with me even if you hate it! If you want me to add something to the story then put it into your review so I can see if it's something that I might want to write. **

**I would also like to THANK ALL OF YOU WHO REVIEW WITH SUCH LOVELY WORDS! It really makes my day to read. So thank you for that. And on with the story…**

**Playlist:**

**I believe in you – Tyler Hilton (acoustic version)**

**Jace's song: **

**Last time – Secondhand Serenade **

**Fuel to the Fire**

**Chapter 6**

"Oh and it's never fair  
The way that we meet and you disappear  
No, it don't feel like sleep  
When I'm this alive it's true  
I believe in you"

Tyler Hilton – I believe in you

Clary looked herself in the mirror. She was all dressed in black, the classic shadow-hunter colour. She wore a black mini dress, high heeled boots that she kept her Steele and Seraph blade in. It was so familiar, like déjà vu, standing there looking fierce and vindictive. This had happened once before.

_*Flashback*_

_Clary roughly pushed her Steele into her boot and finished up her mascara. She wouldn't say that she looked sad anymore, like they say, there are many stages of grief, she had moved on from grieving and moved on to anger. She was furious; it really wasn't fair what had happened, _because of her_, there was not a second of every day that she didn't wish that it had been the other way around. That she had died so that Jon and Valentine could live. _

_However, her eyes revealed close to no emotion as she almost lethargically began curling random streaks of hair that hadn't managed to look glamorous by them selves. After she looked lethally beautiful, she turned off the curling iron and left __the New York penthouse, the only sound coming from her heels clicking against the marble floor…_

_*End of flashback*_

Clary shook her head at the memory. This time was different, she told herself. It wasn't the same. But there was that nagging voice in her head whispering _isn't it, though?_

…

Clary entered Pandemonium. She spotted Isabelle, Jace and Alec sitting at the bar. Isabelle was wearing a tiny strapless silver dress and metallic blue pumps. She looked wonderful; of course it was impossible for someone like Isabelle to look anything but perfect.

Clary gracefully began walking towards the three shadow-hunters. Even though the dance-floor was incredibly crowded no one bumped into her. She walked swiftly, using her enhanced abilities to dodge every drunken teenager that threatened to stumble straight into her. Tonight, she had no time for that. She was on a mission. A not one that was likely to end well.

…

Jace frowned down at his Sprite Zero. They were waiting for Clary to arrive. While Isabelle was basically bouncing in her seat with excitement, Jace was dubious to why Clary had chosen to pick up demon hunting _now_. More then anything, he was worried. It killed him to think it to himself even; the biggest jerk in the world Jace Lightwood was worried for someone other than himself. And if it had been anyone other than Clary he would have denied it. Instead, he had surprised himself by asking Isabelle about her, not that he got much in return. Isabelle was about as perceptive as a blind man picking out his favourite painting.

"There she is!" Isabelle squealed pointing into the crowd.

Jace's eyes scanned the crowd before spotting the redhead. Surprisingly the first thing he noticed was not the petite dress and sexy heels, but her eyes. They were… different. Before even though there was hurt in them, there was always emotion, a spark. Her spark. Now, there was only a void where that spark used to be. They were completely blank, not showing any emotion.

"Damn it," Jace swore under his breath. He'd been there, those eyes, he used to own them. They never used leave his face. When it was easier to just lock away your heart then wear it on your sleeve for the entire world to view. But she deserved better. He looked over at Isabelle and whispered in her ear. "Does she look different to you?"

Isabelle snickered happily. "I know, right? She looks ah-mazing!"

Jace rolled his eyes at his sister's naïve personality. When he looked back up Clary was standing there, looking like the very definition of apathy. "Hey, guys." She said in a detached voice.

Jace slid off the bar stool and placed his Sprite Zero onto the counter. He looked into Clary's emerald eyes, searching for just a hint of the real her. Nothing. He turned to Alec, briefly. "Me and Clary are going to check out the club for activity, okay?"

Alec nodded. "Sure, but remember to signal us."

"Umm," Jace murmured. "Fine." Then he began walking through the crown, not looking back, but knowing that Clary was following. He walked into the backroom, swinging the door open. Clary caught it and stepped in, staring him straight in the eye.

"Why did you bring me here?" She asked bluntly, closing then door behind her. Just how he preferred it.

"It's not worth it." He said simply and confidently. Like he knew exactly what he was talking about. Which he did. But she didn't know that.

Clary flinched before taking a deep breath. "What are you talking about?"

"It's not worth it," he repeated. "Closing yourself off from the world. You might not realize what you're doing. But you're not helping yourself or anyone else."

Clary's eyes teared up. "How would you know?" She spat. "You know nothing about me! Nothing!" She took a rapid breath. "You may know my real last name and the name of my… my brother, but you know nothing of me!"

Jace took a step towards her. "I know more than you think. You lost your brother, right?" The hurt and heartbreak that crossed her face made the answer obvious and it also made Jace think that there was still hope for her. "He's dead. Gone. Never coming back." He spoke ruthlessly, taking yet another step forward, staring her down.

Clary's breaths were coming in uneven gasps and she pulled a hand up to her heart. "Stop it," she almost begged, a single tear rolling down her flushed cheek.

"Why?" Jace asked, boldly. Towering over her cowering form. "Why should I stop? So that it will stop feeling like your heart is exploding in your chest? So that you can go out there-" he pointed towards the door "-for what? Vengeance?"

Clary shook her head, rapidly, staring down at the floor. She backed until she was up against the wall.

Jace followed suit. "Is that what he would want? Is that what _Jonathan_ would have wanted?"

Her eyes shot up to be met with pure gold. She drew in a deep breath. "Shut_ up!_" She screamed.

Jace smirked to himself and stepped back, giving her some air. Clary drew out a big sigh, letting herself lean back against the wall. She closed her eyes, trying to soothe her racing heart.

They just stood like there for a few minutes. Her trying to calm down. And him just watching her.

"Music helps." He said.

Clary looked up, still breathing heavily, raising her eyebrows. "What?" She asked roughly.

Jace cleared his throat. "Music helps. You know, to deal with the pain. To express what you're feeling. The words that are to painful to be spoken." He explained.

Clary just stared.

"I heard you singing at school," he said, coolly. "You have a great voice and take it from someone who knows… there's a lot of emotion you're holding back. So just… sing it out."

There was a moment of tension.

"So…" Jace trailed. "Are you going to kill anything?"

Clary shook her head, her eyes straying back to the ground. "I guess not."

And with that done. Jace left. He had played his part. He had helped her get that spark back. Even though it was too clouded with grief to really shine through.

…

Jace sat down by his piano. He traced the keys from end to finish, just barely touching them.

When he had left Clary and headed back to Izz and Alec he had expected her to follow. But he didn't see her for the rest of the night. Isabelle was disappointed but she to whip up a Ravener so she got over it. Alec seemed concerned, seeing as he had taken a liking to the fiery redhead. And Jace just hoped he had helped. He knew he had snapped her out of the coldness that threatened to take over but if came again it might be too late to bring her back.

He sighed and gently applied pressure to the keys as he began playing.

"I'm stuck with writing songs just to forget what they really were about. And these words are bringing me so deeply insane.  
That I don't think I can take my way out." He sang out. "I couldn't breathe through it. Like I need to and the words don't mean a thing

So I'll sing this song to you  
For the last time  
And my heart is torn in two  
Thinking of days spent without you  
And there is nothing left to prove

I'm counting all the things I could have done  
To make you see  
That I wanted us to be what I go to sleep and dream of  
I want you to know that I'd die for you  
I'd die for you

I couldn't breathe through it  
Like I need to and the words don't mean a thing

So I'll sing this song to you  
For the last time  
And my heart is torn in two  
Thinking of the days spent without you  
And there's nothing left to prove

And if you are alone  
Make sure you're not lonely  
Cuz if you are, I blame myself  
For never being home  
I know I'm not the only one  
Who will treat you like they should  
What you deserve

I'm stuck with writing songs  
Just to forget

So I'll sing this song to you  
For the last time  
And my heart is torn in two  
Thinking of the days spent without you  
And there's nothing left to prove."

His fingers lingered on the final note. _I don't know what it is you do, Clary. _He thought solemnly to himself. _I don't know why I can't stay away, why I care, why I want to help you so much. _

**A/N: Hey! I didn't wait for the 50 reviews… I know! But still… I was feeling really inspired by music… and… feelings. So I decided to write. PLEASE REVIEW TO MAKE ME UPDATE FASTER!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hi, guys! I'm back with an update! It's Monday, I'm tired, but I wanted to update. This is really crappy and maybe even short but I hope you like it anyways. Enjoy!**

**P.S. Thank you all who reviewed I really appreciate it and keep doing it!**

**Playlist:**

**Medicate the kids - Gavin DeGraw**

**Clary's song **

**Enchanted – Taylor Swift **

**Only fooling myself – Kate Voegele**

**Fuel to the Fire**

**Chapter 7**

Tell 'em, "Say no to drugs"  
"Substances make you dumb"  
Then you say, "give 'em some"  
Are you the victim  
Of this experience  
Child experiment  
Teacher's predicament?  
You're in THE SYSTEM

- Gavin DeGraw, medicate the kids

Clary laid back on her queen sized bed. She squirmed under the covers and squeezed her eyes shut. What had happened earlier at Pandemonium was stuck in her brain. Jace had known just what to say, it had been hurtful, scary and absolutely brutally honest. It had been exactly what she needed to hear. She found herself wishing that Jace had been there before, back in New York. The last time she'd gone off demon hunting was just after Jonathon died. She remembered it well, like it was just a day ago instead of a year.

_*Flashback*_

_Clary forcefully pushed the demon up against the wall, watching as it revealed its true form, a disgusting, drooling hunk of gross. She pulled her seraph blade out of her boot and held it to the demons neck. _

"_Shadow-hunter," the demon hissed baring a set of yellowing fangs. It tried to swing at her but she dodged easily and cut the demon with her blade. It only managed to graze the arm. _

"_Oh, come on," Clary said in a taunting voice that she would come to regret, "I thought you could do better than that. I heard you greater demons were supposed to be tricky to kill."_

_*End of flashback*_

Clary pushed back the covers and placed her right hand on her stomach. There were no scars thanks to the healing rune she'd placed but it was like they were still there just… invisible. Clary was the only one who could see them. The few nightmares that weren't about Jonathan and Valentine always traced back to that night. Every time she woke up she would stalk straight over to the mirror and check to see if the scars were there.

There was a low beep that said she'd gotten a new e-mail. She sat up and swung her legs over the bed. She spotted her laptop sitting on her desk and grabbed it. She opened up the screen and her e-mail account popped up. She clicked on inbox and read the latest one from just a minute ago.

**HEY, CLARE!**

**LOOK OUT YOUR WINDOW. **

**/J**

Clary frowned. J? Who the hell was J? She glanced at the e-mail address. _**TallBlondeAndGolden **__hmm… I wonder who that hotmail belongs to…_ Clary though to herself for less than a second before it hit her. Jace! Of course. Who else would she knew could manage to sound arrogant in just a user name?

She opened the window and stuck her head out, not knowing what to expect. She looked over at the street, down at their green lawn but found nothing. It was pretty late after all. Then when she looked up again she realized what house was right beside hers. The Lightwoods. And standing there in a window completely across from hers was Jace. He was standing with his back facing away from the window leaned over a piano. Then, abruptly, he turned around and looked her straight in the eye. Even with such distance between them the tension was thick. Like they were staring into each other's souls. Clary was the first one to look away. She picked up her phone and scrolled down her contact list until she found Jace.

**SO I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO CLOSE THE DRAPES WHEN I CHANGE FROM NOW ON… - CLARY**

She wrote and hit send, still standing by the window. She saw Jace turn away, pick up his phone from his desk and smirking as he read her text. A few seconds later she got a response.

**I WOULDN'T SAY THAT CLARE. I CAN KEEP MINE OPEN ALL THE TIME IF YOU'D LIKE… *WINK WINK* -JACE**

Clary gaped down at the text, she knew that she should be used to his innuendos and inappropriate comments but it really took some getting used to. "Jerk…" She said, loudly and deleted the message.

"I can hear you, you know!" Jace called from his window, which was now open.

Clary couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her lips. She quickly brought her hand up to cover her mouth but by the sly smile creeping up on Jace's lips he'd either heard or seen it.

"See, I'm funny _and_ smart," he yelled at her.

Clary laughed. "I don't think that qualifies as funny, that's arrogant, and _smart_? Really, Jace?" She shook her head in playful denial. "I thought you were better than that!"

Jace chuckled and tossed her a cocky grin to let her know he didn't take it to heart.

Clary frowned for a second, thinking, before holding up a finger and saying, "I'll be right back." She left her phone on her desk and walked over to her closet. She pulled out her vintage acoustic guitar and pulled out her desk chair and rolled it over to the window so she could sit with the guitar. Then she splayed her fingers across the strings and looked up.

Jace was still standing at his window, staring at her, looking a little confused which created a cute little wrinkle between his eyebrows. He opened his mouth to speak but Clary just held up her finger again for him to wait.

Then she began playing, making sure it was just loud enough for Jace to hear. Then she sang.

**There I was again tonight  
Forcing laughter, faking smiles  
Same old tired, lonely place**

Walls of insincerity  
Shifting eyes and vacancy  
Vanished when I saw your face

All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you

Your eyes whispered "have we met?"  
Across the room your silhouette  
Starts to make it's way to me

The playful conversation starts  
Counter all your quick remarks  
Like passing notes in secrecy

And it was enchanting to meet you  
All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go  
I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home  
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew  
I was enchanted to meet you

The lingering question kept me up  
2 AM, who do you love?  
I wondered 'til I'm wide awake

And now I'm pacing back and forth  
Wishing you were at my door  
I'd open up and you would say, "Hey"

It was enchanting to meet you  
All I know is I was enchanted to meet you

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go  
I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home  
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew  
This night is flawless, don't you let it go  
I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone  
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew  
I was enchanted to meet you

This is me praying that  
This was the very first page  
Not where the story line ends  
My thoughts will echo your name  
Until I see you again  
These are the words I held back  
As I was leaving too soon  
I was enchanted to meet you

Please don't be in love with someone else  
Please don't have somebody waiting on you

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go  
I'm wonder-struck, blushing all the way home  
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew  
This night is flawless, don't you let it go  
I'm wonder-struck, dancing around all alone  
I'll spend forever wondering if you know  
I was enchanted to meet you

Please don't be in love with someone else  
Please don't have somebody waiting on you

When her fingers played the last chord and she looked up. Jace was facing away from her, just staring at the wall. As if he couldn't look at her. For some reason that stung. "Why did you let me hear that?" He asked in a normal tone so that Clary had to strain to hear him.

Clary gulped and then shrugged. "That was my thank you for earlier." She called back before quickly shutting her window and pulling down the drapes. "Thank you, Jace," she whispered to no one before putting down her guitar. Then she settled in for a _long_ night.

…

Jace paced back and forth in his room. What had Clary meant earlier with that song? It was tearing him apart just thinking about it. Clary was amazing. He knew that already, but when she sang like that for him... It seemed to mean everything. He noticed every single thing about her. The way her lips moved softly when she sang such lovely words, her hair caught up in a light breeze blowing in her window and the way that her small fingers seemed to create magic where they touched the guitar strings. Not to mention that voice… with all that emotion… it was breathtakingly beautiful.

Clary always managed to leave him wanting more. Wanting to see her again, hear her strong yet so fragile voice call his name, see that fiery red hair that matched her personality so perfectly and just being around her. He never understood that quote by Edward Cullen about Bella being like his own personal brand of heroin (Edward Cullen was a major twat who Jace found to be majorly over appreciated by the entire female population) but now it kind of made sense.

…

The next day Clary was getting a ride to school with Isabelle. Which meant that Jace would be there, too, which was why she was nervous. It was rare that Clary would be nervous around anyone at all, she grew up in Manhattan for crying out loud! Being shy wouldn't get you very far with the rich and daring. But now, being faced with a fellow shadow-hunter who also happened to be her neighbor she found herself almost twitching every time a car drove by her house. She could have walked over to Isabelle's house and met her there but she wanted as much time as possible to prepare herself.

She was wearing a thin jersey long-sleeved t-shirt, a pair of shorts with rips in them, low green Converse, Dominic Jones earrings and a black Juicy handbag **(outfit on profile)**. She had to admit that she looked good. Not as preppy as usual, but just like… her.

Isabelle honked her horn outside. Clary took a deep breath before running out to the car and climbing into the passenger seat. She didn't dare looking into the backseat where she knew Jace would be. "Hey, Izz."

"Hey, Clary!" Isabelle gushed with a bright smile. "I'm totally okay with you leaving the club yesterday," she said sympathetically. "If your mother needed your help you had to go, right?"

Clary tried to nod convincingly at the fake story she'd come up with. "Yeah, she needed me to help her move some art around the house."

"I totally get it," Izzie said. "We'll just have to do it another time."

Jace cleared his throat from the backseat. "What Clary? Don't I get a hello?"

Clary rolled her eyes and didn't look back at him when she spoke. "Hello, Jace."

Jace was just about to speak when Isabelle cut him off. "Oh! Clary I have great news!"

Clary gulped. She had a bad feeling… "What?"

"Today you're going to cheer try-outs!"

**A/N: So what do you think? Do you want Clary to make the team? Please REVIEW TO MAKE ME UPDATE FASTER! Love ya!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hello, guys! I'm sick again! It seems like I'm catching every darn cold that comes around. I'm so sick of being sick! But what the heck! At least I can give you guys an update! And, by the way, I don't know a lot about cheerleading. My best friend is one but I'm a dancer… Hmm… we'll see how it goes I'd suppose! **

**And also, in case I don't get the chance to update before Christmas here it goes… MERRY FREAKIN' CHRISTMAS! **

**P.S. A big thank you to all of you who review! It's awesome to read and I hope you'll continue to do it!**

**+ I posted this chapter earlier but thanks to a very helpful reviewer that I agreed with I now posted the extended one. **

**Playlist:**

**Fireflies – Alex Goot (This is who I listened to but of course Owl City also works.)**

**Fuel to the Fire**

**Chapter 8**

"**I'd like to make myself believe  
That planet Earth turns, slowly  
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep  
Cause everything is never as it seems"**

**-Fireflies, Owl City**

Isabelle swiped a brush through her silky black hair, absentmindedly staring at herself in the mirror. Silently admiring her icy blue eyes, her high cheekbones and pale skin. She left her vanity and walked into her closet. She picked up her newly dry-cleaned cheerleading uniform and put it on. It was the perfect amount of skin showing for teasing the boys that she knew would never get the chance to actually touch her. _It's all about the teasing not about the pleasing, _she thought. That was pretty much the motto of the cheerleading squad.

There was a knock on her door. She quickly adjusted the top of her uniform before responding. "Come in!"

Alec peeked his head in the door. "Morning, sis. Jace is in the car waiting for you to come. I think he's excited about seeing Clary."

Isabelle frowned. "I sure hope not." She picked up her deep purple Converse and put them on.

Alec rolled his eyes at his sister. "Come on, they'd be cute together. They're both shadow-hunters with hidden pasts."

"Ewww! I really like Clary and she is way out of Jace's league. She would never fall for his dirty tricks!" Isabelle argued, pinching her brows together.

Alec held his hands up in surrender. "Whatever you say, Izz. Bye." Then without waiting for a response, he left.

"Goodbye to you, too, bro." Izzie grumbled as she roughly pulled her hair into a high pony-tail.

She rushed down the wooden staircase and into the living room. Her little brother Max was lying down on the couch watching cartoons. She grinned to herself before leaning over the back of the couch where he couldn't see her and quickly bending down, giving him a peck on the cheek.

"Ewww, Izzie!" Max gushed and wiped his forehead with his palm.

"Oh, you know you like it!" Isabelle teased in an equally childish tone.

Max giggled. "Bye, Izzie!"

Isabelle ruffled Max's hair before walking out the door. She climbed into the front seat of her car, locking eyes with Jace for a second in the rear-view mirror. "Good morning, Jace."

"Yes…" Jace drawled, relaxing into the backseat. "I think it will be."

Isabelle rolled her eyes. "You're a jerk."

"And I know you love me for it." He countered with a lazy grin.

Isabelle shook her head and started the car. "Oh, and we're picking up Clary today." She looked at him through the rear-view mirror and he didn't look surprised at all. Damn it, Alec had been right.

"That so?" he murmured, musingly staring out the window. Ugh, he was such a liar.

She turned stopped the car in front of Clary's house and honked the horn a few times. It only took a minute before the door front door opened and the petite redhead that Isabelle had came to think about as a true friend stepped out.

Clary jogged over to the car and climbed into the passenger seat next to Izzie. "Hey, Izz."

Isabelle put on a bright smile. "Hey, Clary! I'm totally okay with you leaving the club yesterday. If your mother needed help you had to go, right?"

Clary nodded hesitantly, a wry smile creeping up her face. "Yeah, she needed me to help her move some art around the house."

"I totally get it," Isabelle assured her, not sensing anything deceiving by her statement. "We'll just have to do it another time."

Jace the jerk cleared his throat in the backseat. "What, Clary? Don't I get a hello?"

Isabelle glared at him.

"Hello, Jace." Clary said somewhat loftily, looking out the window.

Isabelle narrowed her eyes in suspicion, looking back and forth between Jace and Clary. _Maybe…_ No. She shook her head at the thought. Nothing was up between them. She took a little shaky breath before turning to Clary, beaming, cutting Jace off before he even got the chance to open his mouth. "Oh! Clary I have great news!" She smirked when she saw Clary gulp.

"What?" Clary asked, slowly.

"Today you're going to cheer try-outs!" She gushed excitedly.

Clary stared at her in shock, her mouth wide open. "W-what?"

"Cheer try-outs," Isabelle repeated. "It's going to be so much fun having you on the team."

Clary managed a shaky grin. "If I make it, you mean?"

Isabelle shook her head. "Come on! You're a shadow-hunter! Why _wouldn't_ you make the team?"

"And come on," Jace popped up between Isabelle and Clary. "I would love to see you in that uniform."

…

Clary tugged anxiously at the hem of the short cheerleading skirt that Isabelle had lent her. She didn't feel comfortable in the uniform at all. It wasn't her style at all.

She stood with the rest of the cheerleaders at the football field. Most of them seemed nice, though the only ones she really knew were Isabelle and Maia. And, of course, there was this one girl that had just about the most annoying personality ever. Kaelie. She and her little posse of sluts were almost too bad to look at.

"Clary!" Someone called.

Clary turned around and saw Becca, Simon, Alec and… Jace sitting up on the bleachers waving at her. She gave a hesitant wave back before reluctantly turning back to the squad.

"So!" Isabelle said, catching the attention of all the girls. "I want you to welcome a new member to out squad. Girls, meet Clary."

All the girls said their hello's except for Kaelie who stood, hands on her hips, scowling at Clary. "How do you even know if she's any good?" Kaelie demanded.

Isabelle narrowed her eyes at the blonde. "Show her what you got, Clary."

Clary resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Fine." She said. She moved away from the group, taking some space, then she jumped backwards onto her hands then with a quick push she returned to her feet. Then she did an aerial which is basically a cartwheel without using your hands.

She could see that some of the girls were surprised at how easily she completed the back handspring.

Kaelie gave an annoyed little squeak. "You're okay, Beaumanoir but we'll see how long you'll last."

"Afraid of a little competition, Kaelie?" Maia asked, defending Clary. "She is more than okay. She is good."

After that they continued the practise as usual, doing handsprings and different formations. After about an hour they had to clear out as the football players had to have the quad for practise. She left with Isabelle, chatting pleasantly about the next game they would be cheering for.

"Clary, wait up!"

Clary and Isabelle turned around to see Sebastian running towards them. Isabelle winked at Clary before jogging away to catch up with the rest of the squad.

"Hey, Sebastian," Clary said. "What's up?"

Sebastian shot her a half-grin that would leave most girls dazed. "Nothing much. I just wanted to congratulate you for making the squad. Now we'll be seeing a whole lot more of each other."

Clary smiled back at him, not catching the double-meaning in his words. "I guess."

"Great," Sebastian said. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah," Clary agreed.

He nodded at her before running back to the team.

Clary's eyes strayed over to the bleachers, expecting them to be empty, but instead Jace was sitting there looking her right in the eye. And it was just one of those moments when their eyes met and the whole world was put on pause. She tore her eyes away from Jace and looked at the ground while making her way over to him.

She sat down next to him, making sure not to be too close. "Hey." She said.

"Hello, Clare." Jace said in his usual snarky tone, not even glancing in her direction.

"Are you on the team?" She asked, hesitantly.

Jace snorted. "No. It would be a shame to conceal all this sexyness with an ugly uniform."

"Do you play any sports?" She figured that he would. He was a shadow-hunter after all, naturally competitive and stuff.

Jace nodded. "I play soccer and floorball."

Clary frowned. "Floorball?"

A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Its pretty much like hockey only indoors." He explained.

Clary let out a short laugh. "Never heard of it."

"I'm not surprised," he murmured. Then, abruptly, he stood up, actually looking at her for the first time during their brief conversation. "You shouldn't hang around Sebastian."

Clary narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Why not?"

"Just trust me," he pleaded. "He's bad news."

"I thought you were friends." She countered.

"We're not," Jace said. "You really should trust me on that one."

Clary just stared at him.

He began to walk away but then he turned around. "Oh, and Clare, you're welcome."

"For what?" Clary asked, uncertain.

Jace's golden eyes twinkled with light amusement. "Last night, you said thank you. You're welcome."

She shot him a small smile. "You were right about singing by the way, it helped."

"I told you it would, didn't I?" Jace retored with fake confusion. "I mean, not to brag but I am pretty damn amazing."

Clary didn't say anything, of course not, but she kind of agreed with him.

**A/N: Hope you liked the chap! The next one will be a little better I hope. REVIEW to make me UPDATE FASTER! **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Gah! This chapter was tricky for me to write. I'm just so torn! I have the plot but I don't know in which speed I want to write everything in. We'll just have to see how this chapter turns out!**

**I have something very special planned for my 10'th chapter so its time for you to get excited!**

**P.S. Thank you for all YOUR VERY AWESOME REVIEWS, you're bringing the love and I LOVE IT! It's really sweet to read. And just FYI I will be removing the AN chap soon…**

**Playlist: **

**I won't disagree – Kate Voegele **

**Can't take this – Tyler Ward**

**Fuel to the Fire**

**Chapter 9**

"**Lately you make me weaker in the knees  
And race through my veins baby every time you're close to me  
Take me away to places I ain't seen  
They say you've got a hold on me:  
And I won't disagree"**

**- Kate Voegele, I won't disagree**

It was hard for Clary to fathom how fast her life at Ash High changed after she became a cheerleader. It was like the uniform held powers of popularity. Suddenly, Simon and Sebastian weren't the only guys that made any effort what so ever to talk to her. It was every guy in the school. Five guys from the football team had asked her out _before lunch! _She didn't know whether to sit back and enjoy the attention or run and hide. She decided on the latter.

She ducked past an ogling boy and slid into the bathroom, taking a deep breath and making sure that no one else was in the bathroom before she walked into one of the stalls and sat down on the toilet seat.

Her Blackberry vibrated in her pocket and quickly read her new text.

**HEY, CLARE. WHERE R U? I'M MISSI****NG YOU AT THE LUNCH TABLE; SIMON WON'T STOP TALKING ABOUT SOME NEW VIDEO GAME! I COULD USE SOMEONE SLIGHTLY SANE AROUND HERE... – JACE**

Clary grinned down at her phone. Simon had tortured her too with all the talk about some new game… catalyst? Cataclysm! That was it… She texted back.

**YEAH WELL 2 DAMN BAD. I'M SITTING IN THE FREAKING BATHROOM HIDING FROM THE JOCK CLUB. I THINK THIS UNIFORM COMES WITH A CURSE! – CLARY**

She stared down at her phone for a minute, then deciding she wouldn't get an answer she slid in back down into the little pocket in her skirt. She leant her head back against the wall and groaned. She thought about her life here. It was better than expected, but that had a lot to do with Isabelle and Becca. _I think you're forgetting a name, _a voice in her head whispered. Jace.

"Clare," a hushed voice came from outside the bathroom. "Clare!"

Clary shook her head with a wry smile. _Jace._

"Come on, Clare!" Jace stage whispered. "Open up! You know I can't come in there… I will if you make me though." His tone turned slightly suggestive and Clary stifled a giggle.

She slowly made her way over to the door and unlocked it. She took a calming breath before opening the door and stepping out. Jace stood in front of her wearing soccer shorts and a black sporty looking tee. "Are you going to soccer practise or something?"

Jace grinned. "Yeah," his smirk turned a little devious. "And you are coming with me."

Clary sat down on the bleachers of the soccer field. The sun was shining, the sky was a beautiful blue colour and Clary couldn't get over how perfect the day seemed. Clary had never felt so out of place in her entire life. She was a cheerleader, she was friends with the cheer captain and now she was about to watch a hot guy play soccer.

And what really was strange to her was this feeling in the pit of her stomach… the feeling that being this way wasn't so bad and that it was the happiest she'd been in the past year. Maybe just not the cheerleading part though…

Jace walked onto the field, or more like strutted out. Clary knew that she was staring but didn't stop. The way that the sun hit Jace's tanned skin covered in runes, his golden curls caught up in the light wind and the way that he held confidence, but for once it wasn't that arrogant, cocky one that he usually wore. He half-smiled and began jogging over to her.

Clary cleared her throat and looked down at her shoes for a moment before looking up to greet him. "Hello, again."

Jace sat down next to her. "Hey, Clare," there was a moment of comfortable silence. "It really is a beautiful day today." He glanced over at Clary.

Clary smiled, looking out at the field, her eyes lighting up. "Yeah, it is." When she looked up she saw Jace quickly turn his head in another direction as if he'd been staring at her. Clary quickly shook her head at the thought; he was probably just looking at something behind her. _Yeah, right! _A voice in her voice called out

Clary snickered to herself. "It's rude to stare, Jace."

Jace looked down for a moment before meeting her eyes. "Tell that to the hundreds of girls that eye-rape me every single day."

Clary frowned for a moment. "Don't take this the wrong way but you don't seem to get all that much attention from girls at school. Sure, I see them staring at you but they don't really act on it."

"Umm," Jace murmured, not looking at her again. "I was never really that into dating and I'm not on the football team anymore so they kind of grew tired of hanging after me like lost puppies and just found some other guy to molest."

"'Anymore'?" Clary asked. "As in _you used to be on the football team?_"

Jace opened his mouth but at that exact moment the coach blew the whistle. Jace shot her an apologizing glance before running out on the field.

Watching Jace practise made Clary realize that he must be a very good shadow-hunter. All his movements seemed effortless, out running his team members was easy, he had better foot work than any of the other guys. Clary smiled as Jace once again scored a goal.

He could probably give her a run for her money if she ever got back to shadow-hunting. And there lies the dilemma.

…

Clary walked down the hallway with Becca, just mindlessly chatting about the game that Clary was going to cheer for when Becca said something that shocked her.

Clary looked at Becca expectantly. "What do you mean 'be careful around Sebastian'? You know Jace told me almost the exact same thing but I don't get what the problem is."

Becca grimaces and pleads with her eyes for Clary to let it go. When she doesn't, Becca reluctantly answers. "I just… He seemed to be pretty in to you and… I don't want you to get hurt."

"Why would I get hurt?" Clary demands, staring intently on the squirming blonde in front of her.

Becca bites her lip, avoiding her gaze. "Well… he's not the nicest guy."

Clary raises her eyebrows but gestures with her hand, urging her to continue.

Becca's eyes seem to drift a bit, focusing at something else for a second before landing on Clary again. "I just heard some rumours about a girl from a different school they weren't… they weren't _good_, Clary." She took a deep breath. "I hate to say this, but Jace is right this time. Stay away from Sebastian Verlac." Becca looked away again, longer this time as if she couldn't wait to get away. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

Becca swiftly pushed passed Clary and rapidly continued walking down the hall. Clary stared after her for a second before moving again. Becca was keeping something from her, sure, they hadn't known each other for very long but Clary still wanted Becca to trust her. She almost laughed at her own hypocrisy, she wouldn't reveal anything about her past to anyone but Becca was supposed to spill her guts to someone she barely even knew. Yeah, right. But that didn't mean that Clary would stop worrying about her.

Clary opened her locked and pulled out her bag. When she was about to turn around a hand slammed into the locked next to hers cutting her off from moving. She smiled, expecting to see Jace. But when she looked up she wasn't met with the warm golden eyes she had grown to like but a pair of cold green ones. "Sebastian," she breathed.

"Hey, Clary," Sebastian said, staring intently on her face. "I wanted to ask you if-"

"Hey, Clare!" Jace called from down the hall, walking over to them. He had a smug smirk on his face that suggested that he'd heard everything that Sebastian had said.

"Hello, Jace," Sebastian sneered, scowling at the blonde.

Jace ignored him and went to stand behind Clary. "So, are you hitching a ride with me and Izz today?"

Clary nodded. "Yup."

Sebastian looked at Jace for a moment as if trying to decipher something important, then with a smirk aimed at Jace he turned back to Clary. "As I was saying… Will you let me take you to this year's prom?"

"Prom?" Clary asked, not having any idea what he was talking about.

"Oh," Sebastian said. "We have this huge prom every year. It's usually a drag but I figured it may be fun if you'd go with me."

Clary was about to open her mouth to politely decline his offer when Jace decided to butt in. "Yeah, _Clary_? Would you like to go to the _itty-bitty dance_ with Sebastian? Get all dolled up in makeup and a slutty dress? _Sound like fun!_" Ah, sweet sarcasm…

Clary turned around to look at Jace. Now, when she looked at his too handsome face she saw no trace of the boy she'd seen playing soccer earlier. This was the _other _Jace, the one that hurt people just for the hell of it. The one that had now hurt _her_. That's when she made a decision that she would come to regret. "Yes, Sebastian I would love to go with you."

…

Jace would never get over how beautiful Clary was. Earlier at the soccer field when Clary had caught him staring at her he actually felt embarrassed. That's pretty much a first for him.

But the thing about Clary is that he knows that someone like her could never like someone like him, well, she could but she wouldn't. Clary was smart, but blind. She was pretty much oblivious to how everyone saw her. Isabelle looked at her with love in her eyes, happy to have found such a good friend. Alec looked at her like you would at a little sister. And Jace had to admit that he cared about her far too much for his own liking. _To love is to destroy. _His father's words rang in his head.

He smiled to himself as he saw Clary standing by her locker talking to Sebastian. Wait… Sebastian! He slowly began walking over to them, listening in on their conversation.

"I wanted to ask you if-" he heard Sebastian say and figured that this would be a good time to interfere.

"Hey, Clary!"

And, he'd even admit that he'd acted as a complete and utter jerk to Clary. But to be honest he was scared. Scared of her saying yes to Sebastian. He told himself that it was because Sebastian was an ass but something told him that he would have reacted the exact same way no matter who it was. He was so hooked on that girl…

And look where it got him.

Clary was now going to the prom with Sebastian Verlac.

**A/N: WOW! I know, right! When do you guys think that Clary and Jace will get together? (I'm nosy like that)… Anyways, REVIEW to make me UPDATE FASTER!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's note: Hey guys! I'm really excited about sharing this chapter with you. I usually write about 2000 words for every chapter (just call me lazy) but for this very special tenth ch****apter I decided to give you 4000 words. This is like two chapters in one! I hope it was worth a little wait! And just for all of you who might not have noticed chapter 9 is posted and I removed the A/N. **

**P.S. I would like to give a big thanks to **KaYlaNnE95 **who really gave me some amazing ideas for the following chapter. I used a part of it... sort of... – read and see! And of course I love the rest of my reviewers as well! You're all AWESOME!**

**Playlist:**

**The first and second scene:**

**Stay Away – The Honorary Title ****(Amazing song, listen to it. Trust me.) **

**The third scene:**

**Every Breath – Boyce Avenue**** (Don't knock it 'til you try it!)**

**Fuel to the Fire**

**Chapter 10**

"**The weightlessness and the lack of rest  
away from you, I'm in over my head  
Even when it's dark before the dawn  
I will feel your grace and carry on  
And with every breath of me, you'll be the only light I see"**

**- Boyce Avenue, Every breath**

Jace closed the lid on the piano and turned his face away from the instrument. He hadn't been able to play today; it could be that he was tired, uninspired, or maybe just lacking in reasons to. And then, there was the real reason. He was nervous. It was the night of the dance and Clary was already at his house in Isabelle's room getting ready.

It would be hard to watch her go to the dance with Verlac. What made it harder would be that he knew that he could have stopped it. He could have told Clary the reason why he didn't want her to go with Sebastian. But of course that would mean actually sharing something personal with someone. And even though he knew things that were more than private about Clary, she hadn't chosen to share those things with him. And until she had, he was not ready to share anything with her.

He pushed away from the piano bench harshly, standing up. He was a terrible person. Anyone else would have told Clary by now, he was just too scared to do anything about it. Everyone he had ever let in had ended up hurting him. No matter how kind and sensitive Clary seemed it would always end the same. Because Jace never got what he wanted.

He grabbed his jacket before heading for the door; he needed to take a walk. As he jogged out the door, glancing up at the moon that sat high in the night sky, he decided that the walk better be a long one.

…

Clary stood in front of the full-length mirror in Isabelle's bedroom, staring at her own reflection. She was wearing a beautiful dress, her hair was pulled back into a loose knot with stray curly strings of hair framing her face, and to say the least she looked amazing. But she didn't feel beautiful, she felt awful. And she had a feeling it had less to do with her dress and more to do with Jace. He had no idea what this did to her; she really didn't want to go to the dance with Sebastian because it meant betraying two of the best friends she had. And no matter what she tried to convince herself of, she _was_ betraying Jace. He had told her to stay away from Sebastian, claiming it was for her own good. But he hadn't told her why. He didn't trust her enough.

The irony would have made her laugh if it hadn't been so terrible. She had moved there specifically to get away from shadowhunters but instead she had befriended the only ones in a hundred miles radius. She had told herself that she wouldn't let anyone close enough to hurt her anymore, yet Jace had done that without even trying.

Becca didn't deserve it either, that girl had more heart than an entire city combined. You could not wish for a better friend. That hadn't stopped Clary from ignoring her advice, though. Clary still hadn't told Becca who she was going to the dance with and she would be there to pick her and Isabelle soon.

Clary sighed and turned her head away from the mirror, not being able to look at herself anymore.

A hand on her shoulder made her turn around. Isabelle stood there looking at her strangely, her deep blue eyes holding a depth that Clary didn't know Isabelle could manage. "Are you okay?" Isabelle asked, worry seeping into her voice.

Clary nodded unconvincingly. "Yeah," she murmured. "I'm fine, Izz. Just nervous is all..."

Isabelle hesitated, she could tell that Clary was lying but she didn't want to pressure her so she gave her a swift nod before removing her hand and sitting down on her bed. "Okay."

Clary sat down beside her, unconsciously leaning into Isabelle for sustain. Isabelle put her arm over Clary's shoulder silently offering support. "Why aren't you excited?" Isabelle asked quietly.

"I'm not sure…" Clary whispered, looking up at her friend. "I feel terrible for going with Sebastian."

Isabelle frowned. "I thought you liked him."

"I do," Clary sighed exasperatedly. "I don't. I just feel so awful! Like my heart can't take it, you know? Rebecca told me that he was bad news and that I should stay away from him and I was just about to tell him that I didn't want to go to the dance with him, but then J-" Her breath hitched and she stopped her rant. She couldn't mention Jace to Isabelle. For some reason… she just couldn't.

Isabelle squeezed her shoulder. "It'll be fine, I mean it really isn't her business who you're going with. You're coming to the dance and if Sebastian tries anything wrong with you I'll be there for you. You've got nothing to worry about."

Clary tried a small smile, not finding much comfort in Isabelle's words. "Thank you," she said. "I hope you're right."

Isabelle smiled brightly before standing up. "I always am." She put out her hand to help Clary up.

Clary took her hand and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. She looked around Isabelle's room until she spotted her shoes. They were blue peep toes with a moderate high heel and cute bows on the toe. They worked well with the dress and they were easy to walk in.

Isabelle looked over at Clary. "You really look great, Clary."

Clary half-smile to herself, glancing over at Isabelle. She was wearing a black dress, it was incredibly gorgeous and it did miracles to her already curvy body. "You look great, too, Izz."

The girls exchanged quick smiles before returning to perfecting their makeup. Well, Isabelle continued placing makeup on her face while Clary just sort of watched. She had been ready for ages. Isabelle just wasn't very fast at getting ready.

"Isabelle!" Alec called from downstairs. "Rebecca is here to pick you guys up!"

Isabelle grinned and grabbed Clary's hand, almost bouncing up and down with excitement. "Let's go!"

Clary gave a shaky laugh and let Izz pull her down the stairs where Alec was standing next to Becca. There was no sign of Jace. Clary couldn't help but feel guilty. Jace had been ignoring her the entire week at school so she didn't even know if he was going or not. She gave Becca hug. "Hey, girlie."

"Hi, Clary," Becca said in her usual bubbly voice. "I'm really excited about tonight."

Before Clary could even think of a response Isabelle cut in. "Yeah, me too! It's going to be a blast!"

Clary tried to give a decent looking smile but it ended as a grimace. "Yeah."

Becca grinned widely, her dark green eyes sparkling with a happiness that never seemed to leave. "Let's go then!"

Becca's car was not anyway near as flashy as Clary's or Isabelle's but all the girls loved her little Audi. Clary sat in the backseat since Isabelle had called eternal shot-gun on every car on the planet. Usually Clary would roll her eyes at her or grumble about it being unfair but tonight it was a relief. She would not have been able to take sitting up there with Becca, the guilt would have been unbearable, not that if felt much better in the backseat. She needed to tell her. She would… tell her. "Umm, Becca I-" Clary began but Isabelle cut her off with a glare that said 'Don't you dare say anything'. "You look great tonight." She finished lamely. At least it's the truth, she thought, biting her lip.

"Thank you," Becca beamed. "You look amazing, Clary. You too Isabelle."

Isabelle flipped her long black hair over her shoulder. "When don't I look amazing?"

"Do you remember that week after Andrew dumped you and you didn't shower for like a week," Becca said, teasingly. "Not your finest moment."

Isabelle scowled at the blonde so fiercely that Clary had to suffocate her giggle in her hand.

"It was the first guy who ever dumped me, okay!" Isabelle yelled in her own defence. "And the last I might add."

Becca rolled her eyes before focusing her attention back on the road. "Mm-hmm, Izzie. Sure."

Isabelle huffed angrily crossing her arms across her chest. "Shut it, Becca!"

Clary gave a half-smile at their banter. She hadn't known them for very long but it sure as hell felt like forever. She really, really needed to tell Becca.

Clary had never been to a prom before so she didn't really know what to expect except for what she'd seen in movies. And when she entered the gym she couldn't help but want to leave immediately. The gym was decorated with all kinds of blue and whites, frilly decorations were everywhere. And of course, the most nauseating thing of them all was the one who was now walking straight towards her. Sebastian. He was dressed in a black suit, with a black tie and a black shirt. Even, she glanced down, yup, black shoes.

And she hadn't gotten a chance to talk to Becca yet, okay, she had but she had been avoiding the subject of her date. But Sebastian was getting closer and closer so she swiftly pulled Becca away from her date and whispered in her ear. "Sebastian is my date to the dance."

Becca jerked her arm out of Clary's grasp looking appalled. "Please tell me that you mean some other Sebastian other than… No, no. No. You didn't! Why, Clary?"

Clary bit her lip guiltily. "I'm sorry, Becca. I didn't-"

"Clary!" Becca yelled, frustrated. "I specifically told you that he was bad news, that you should stay away from him and you don't listen! I mean- God!" She turned around and stormed away from Clary, pulling her date with her.

"Becca, wait!" Clary called after her but before she could make a move to follow her Sebastian intersected her.

"You look gorgeous," he told her, looking her up and down.

Normally Clary wouldn't mind flattery, in fact, on dates it was encouraged. But something about the leer in Sebastian's eyes as he said it made her take a step away from him. "Thank you?" It came out as a hesitant question.

"You're welcome," he said confidently, not noticing or caring the way she continued to move further and further away from him. Suddenly he grabbed her arm and pulled her against his chest. "Let's dance."

Clary reluctantly let herself be dragged onto the dance floor. She let herself sway to the music and tried not to think about whom it was holding her. He held none of the warmth that Jace had when they had danced at Pandemonium. Clary shook her head slowly, why was she thinking about Jace? It was his fault that she was there in the first place. Right? Probably not.

After about ten minutes of mindless swaying Clary saw Becca walk towards the bathrooms decided to make a break for it. She pulled away from Sebastian putting on an innocent act, batting her eyelashes. "I have to go to the ladies room, I'll be back in a sec."

Sebastian grinned and let her go. "Fine, just don't take too long."

Clary felt like throwing up in her mouth. She had no intention of ever returning back to him. "Yeah," she murmured, not meeting his gaze.

She quickly let go of his shoulders and practically ran into the bathroom area. She leaned back against the wall, pressing her forehead against the cool wall, just taking deep breaths. When she heard a toilet flush she quickly straightened herself and tried to look nonchalant as if she was just waiting in line.

The door opened and Becca stepped out looking pissed as hell as soon as she laid eyes on Clary. "Hello," she said, slowly.

Clary blinked. "Umm," she said nervously. "I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to go with him, seriously! But Jace said something and I was just really hurt and angry and-"

Becca put her hand up, gesturing for Clary to stop rambling. She stared at Clary for a minute, her gaze softening. "Its okay, Clary. I know why you did it now. You did it because you're in love with Jace."

"What?" Clary shrieked. "I am not _in love_ with Jace!"

Becca pondered that for a second before responding. "Umm, you're probably right."

Clary breathed out a sigh of relief.

"You probably just really, really like him," Becca continued, shrugging her shoulders casually.

Clary's eyes practically shot out of her head. "No!" She protested. "I am not interested in Jace like that. We're just friends, Becca."

Becca rolled her eyes. "If you say so, but-"

"No 'buts'," Clary pleaded.

"Yeah, yeah," Becca said, smiling.

Clary broke into a grin. She pulled Becca in for a tight hug. "Thank you so much! I though you would still be mad at me."

Becca pulled away from Clary, still smiling. "I am a little hurt that you didn't tell me right away but I'm dealing. I could never stay mad at you for very long. I'm too much of a pushover."

Clary giggled and patted her arm. "You're not a pushover, you're just too nice for your own good."

"Well, I should probably get back to my date." Becca said, looking towards the exit.

"Who did you end up going with?" Clary inquired.

Becca blushed, looking down at her hands for a second before meeting Clary's eyes. "Umm, I'm with Jake. He's in my Spanish class."

Clary smiled. "Great, you seem to like him."

"Yeah," Becca admitted. "Will I see you later?"

"No," Clary said quickly. "No. I'm leaving. I can't stay here with him. It feels… wrong." She frowned. "If that makes any sense?"

Clary didn't like the sort of secret smile that crept up Becca's lips, like she knew something that Clary didn't but wouldn't share it. "Mm-hmm," Becca hummed cheekily before turning away from Clary and walking back into the gym. "Bye, Clary! See you Monday!"

"Yeah, see you!" Clary shouted back. She looked out from the corner carefully.

Sebastian was standing next to some of his jock friends laughing about something. Clary fought the urge to roll her eyes as she snuck around the corner and made a run for the doors.

As soon as she made it outside she breathed a sigh of relief. Then she almost punched herself for not making a better plan. She had no ride. She would have to walk all the way to her house.

…

Jace kicked a pebble, watched in bounce away down the road before landing. He ran his fingers through his hair and began walking again.

He really had no idea where he was going. He just knew that he couldn't sit at home and wait for Isabelle and Clary to come back to his house talking about what a great time they'd had at the dance. Jace was not naïve, he knew that his judgement was clouded when it came to Clary, he knew that he was developing… feelings towards her and as much as he'd love to make them go away, for her sake of course, he couldn't.

He barely even noticed that he had ended up in the park until he laid eyes on someone familiar sitting on a park bench. Clary. She was hugging her arms around her knees; her head leaned on her arms with her eyes closed. Like she was sleeping.

She looked beautiful; the dress she wore was different shades of blue, flowing out to beneath her knees, it was like it was made for her.

Jace frowned before making his way over to her; he tried his best to walk silently just in case she really was asleep. But why was she even there? She should still be at the dance. If Sebastian tried anything with her he would have to-

"Jace?" Clary's voice made him snap out of his reverie. She was now staring at him, eyes wide open. So maybe she hadn't been asleep. "What are you doing here?"

Jace raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't _I_ be asking _you_ that?"

Clary rolled her eyes and patted the bench next to him. "Sit down."

Jace sat down, being careful not to be too close. "So…" He said dragging out the word.

"I'm sorry," they both blurted out at the same time. Clary's eyes widened for a moment before she let out a small laugh that Jace couldn't help but join into.

"What are you sorry for?" Clary asked curiously.

"Umm," he murmured. "I'm sorry for being such a jerk. I shouldn't have said those things I was just-" he caught himself just before he could say _jealous. _

"Upset?" Clary offered.

Jace nodded not trusting his voice to sound sincere. He was a good liar but Clary always seemed to see right through his bullshit. "Now, why are you sorry?"

"I shouldn't have gone to the dance with Sebastian. I don't know what you guys don't like about Sebastian but I should have listened none the less. So after a while I escaped and ended up here."

Jace grimaced, leaning back against the bench. "You shouldn't have left just because you were feeling guilty."

Clary shook her head, a slight blush creeping up her cheeks. "No, that's not why I left. It just felt wrong being there with him. Especially after I had a fight with Becca, we made up, though…"

"Good," Jace said honestly. "I always thought Becca was quite smart for a mundane." Even though Jace hadn't meant for it to be a mean comment but it still earned him a glare from Clary. He smoothly came up with a new topic. "So I guess you didn't get to dance very much at the prom?" He asked.

Clary frowned, looking up at him. "I guess not… Why?"

Jace grinned and stood up, holding his hand out to her. "Come on, dance with me."

Clary rolled her eyes but took his hand and let him pull her to her feet. "There's no music," she noted as she placed her hands on his shoulders.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and couldn't help but breath out a happy sigh. He loved the feeling of her in his arms. "We don't need music."

Jace slowly began moving in small circles, carefully holding her against him. Clary leaned her head against him chest and let her eyes flutter close.

"_It seems all of these words couldn't be further from the truth.  
How did I get here? What did I do?" _Jace sang silently, just soft murmurs in her ear. _"Your eyes, telling me lies. And making me find myself. While you have your agenda, a life to pursue."_

Clary let out a shaky breath but didn't move, afraid that it would make him stop singing. Instead she just let herself relax in his arms.

"_So please, let me be free from you. __And please, let me be free  
I can face the truth. I'm blind to all of your colours that used to be rainbows, then my eyes, where did they go to? Why disappear?" _He continued to sing, leaning his forehead against the top of Clary's head. _"It's hard to be all alone. I never got through your disguise. I guess I'll just go, and face all my fear. So please, let me be free from you. And please, let me be free. I can face the truth." _

He stopped singing when he felt Clary shift against his chest. "My brother is dead," she whispered.

Jace pressed his lips against her forehead but didn't say anything. There really wasn't anything he could say, there was nothing he could say to make it better. He wasn't sure why she had chosen that moment to tell him but he wasn't complaining. It felt nice being trusted. It was all new to him.

"It was my fault," she murmured sadly.

Jace tightened his grip around her waist, hugging her to him. "I'm positive that it wasn't."

Clary shook her head. "You don't even know what happened."

"I don't need to. I know _you_." He countered confidently.

Clary squeezed her eyes shut and clung even tighter to Jace. "I hope you're right."

…

Isabelle sat down at her friends table. "Hey, have you guys seen Clary?" She asked as she realized that Clary wasn't there.

"I haven't seen her," Simon said, looking at Isabelle with a shy smile.

Isabelle grinned back at him, she was really glad that she had gone to the dance with him.

She heard someone clear their throat and when she looked up, Becca was laughing so hard that she was barely even sitting up right. "You guys are so in love!" Becca gushed through a laughter fit.

Isabelle glared and she could see Simon blush from the corner of her eye. "Shut up!"

Becca ignored her. "And Clary left like two hours ago. I'm surprised you didn't notice… or were you too caught up in lover boy to even care?" Becca raised her eyebrows innocently.

Isabelle let out a small growl and it took a lot of restraint for her to not go all shadowhunter on her. "Whatever, Rebecca."

Becca rolled her eyes. "We should be heading home soon."

Isabelle leaned over to Simon and gave him a small peck on the lips. "Yeah, we should be going."

Becca gave Jake a modest hug before standing up, pulling Isabelle along with her. "Come on, I. Lightwood!"

Isabelle giggled and hooked her arm through Becca's. "Tonight was fun."

"It was," Becca agreed. "Jake is great and I can tell that you had fun with Simon. Who knew you'd end up with him, right?"

Isabelle nodded as she climbed into the passenger seat of Becca's car. "Right."

They had been driving for about five minutes when out of the blue Becca pulled the car over by the park, staring out the window with a devious smile on her face.

"Why are we stopping?" Isabelle demanded.

Becca unhooked her seat belt and opened the car door. "Come on!" She hissed climbing out of the car.

Isabelle sighed but did what she was told. Suddenly Becca was at her side leading her into the deserted park. "Where are we goin-" That's when she saw them. "O-" Isabelle began loudly. Becca gestured for her to be quiet. "OMG," she whispered sheepishly, slowly creeping closer to the scene.

Jace and Clary were sitting on a park bench. Clary was curled up next to Jace, his arm wrapped around her shoulder and her head on his shoulder. They both appeared to be asleep. They both had content smiled on their faces.

"Should we wake them?" Becca asked.

Isabelle shook her head, still staring at them with awe in her eyes. "No, let them be. They look… cute don't you think?"

Becca nodded. "Yeah… I don't think I've ever seen Jace smile."

The corner of Isabelle's mouth twitched. "Me neither."

**A/N: YAY! So what do you think? Should I start writing longer chapters or should I stay with the shorter ones? ****Hope you liked the chapter and as always REVIEW to make me UPDATE FASTER! Love ya! And if you really hated it, just tell me and I'll take it back to the chopping block. **

**P.S. The lyrics that Jace sang are from Pretend by Secondhand Serenade! + I have posted Clary's prom outfit on my profile - check it out after you (hopefully) review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I'm so sorry for the late update but… I do have an excuse. I've been in the hospital. Committed and on bed rest. Yes, life has been fun! (Nope!) I don't think I would have survived without fan fiction on my cell phone! And my doctor kept telling my parents to take my laptop away, so I've been without ****a computer for like two weeks. And special thank you to my friend Annabel (cupcake angel) who had been way too nice to me and visited me, like, every single day!**

**But now I finally succeeded in bribing my brother into giving me his Acer so that I could update! **

**Thank you to all of you who reviewed and added the story to your favourites! I adore you all!**

**Playlist:**

**Talking to the moon – Bruno Mars**

**Chasing cars – Snow Patrol**

**Say (All I need) – OneRepublic**

**Chapter 11**

"_**All that I am  
All that I ever was  
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see  
I don't know where  
Confused about how as well  
Just know that these things will never change for us at all"**_

_**- Chasing cars, Snow Patrol**_

…

It had been a week since Clary last spoke to Jace. A week since she had her head on his shoulder telling him something that she probably shouldn't have. She couldn't bring herself to regret it though. She always knew that she would have to tell someone, but she always imagined that the someone she did choose to tell would be… _special_. Someone she could trust and depend on when she needed it. Yes, Jace had hugged her and told her that it wasn't her fault. But he was also _Jace_! He didn't care about her. He'd made that pretty darn clear.

She should have known not to… Not to… _Not to fall for him! _She mentally slapped herself for even thinking the words. He was a player. She had been stupid to ever see him as anything else. She could see it now though. It wasn't even his fault. He didn't try to act like anything other than a friend to her, even when he was being a complete ass. He was never hitting on her like he did with all those other girls. He didn't like her like that. He seemed to like Kaelie like that though…

Clary groaned and threw herself onto her bed, hugging her cupcake pillow to her chest. _Player, player, player. _She chanted over and over in her head. _Gorgeous, cute and sometimes even sweet _player_! _She could punch herself for even thinking like that. Why would she even want that Kaelie kissing bastard? _I don't, _she thought sternly not even being able to convince herself of it.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she tiredly pulled it out of her jeans pocket and pressed it to her ear not even bothering checking who it was. "What?" She growled into her pillow.

She heard a familiar laugh that made her heart skip a beat. _"Wow, you sound just as bad as you look, Clare."_

She jumped up so fast that she had to steady herself against her desk chair out o dizziness. "Huh?" She asked stupidly hoping that she's heard him wrong.

Another cocky chuckle. _"You look sick."_

I practically slapped my forehead as I turned my head towards the window. Jace was standing in his room, grinning over at me and waving. "Well thank you," I said sarcastically, glaring over at him.

Jace winked. _"Anytime, Clare!"_

Clary rolled her eyes. "Okay, I'm hanging up now…" She began pulling the phone away when the speaker shrieked.

"_Wait!" _Jace yelled. _"We haven't __spoken__ to each other all week… Did I do something?"_

Clary groaned. _Yes, you did! _"Nope!" She spoke in what she prayed was a "cheery" voice. "Nothing's wrong with me."

"_Then why have you been avoiding me?" _She could almost hear him raising an eyebrow.

"Pssh!" Clary said nervously, she wasn't the best liar. "That is ridiculous! I have _not _been avoiding you, Jace."

"_After the football game Thursday?"_

Clary sighed. He had her there. "I wasn't running from you. I was running from Sebastian. I haven't talked to him since the dance last week! I am _not _avoiding you."

"_Good.__" _He said briskly.

Clary grimaced but played along. "Great!"

"_Good__," _she could see a smirk creeping up his full lips. _"So you wouldn't mind if I came over right now and we could hang out?"_

She squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lip tightly as she replied. "Come right over."

"_On my way!" _Jace said cheerfully, ending the phone call and disappearing from his window.

Clary pushed her Blackberry back into her pocket and sat down on her bed. Why did he have to be so damn stubborn? And why did she have to be exactly the same? She had managed to avoid speaking to him an entire week, ignoring his few phone-calls, pretending not to hear him calling out to her in the corridors and just plainly going out of her way to stay the hell away from him. She was so stupid! Jon had always told her to face her problems head-on, no detours. He was right of course, it was one of the things Clary had hated about him when he was alive but she missed terribly when he was gone. She took a long shaky breath, grasping after her pillow and clutching it tightly to her chest. Everything reminded her of him.

She needed a distraction. Badly.

Ding dong! The doorbell rang through out the empty house. Clary stood up, dragging her feet behind her as she climbed down the staircase. She wished that she'd had more time to prepare herself to see him. She also wished that she'd remembered to close her curtains. But what she wished for the most was for that feeling in her stomach to go away. The feeling of excitement to see him.

She ripped the door open while staring intently on the floor. He wouldn't be able to win her right over by one of his engaging smiles. "Hi," Clary said, still avoiding eye contact.

"Hey, Clare!" Jace beamed, grabbing her arm and pulling her out the door. "I was thinking we could go for a walk." He said it in a firm tone that made her realize that Jace wasn't going to let her back inside.

She reluctantly began pacing forward struggling to unhook her arm from Jace's. If it had been any other guy she would have been able to remove her arm and knock him out in a second but Jace was a shadow-hunter and he knew all the tricks. It was a no go. Clary breathed out a deep sigh and just followed his lead instead of arguing.

When they approached the park Clary immediately knew what Jace was doing. He was taking her back to the bench. It was silly and stupid but it was _their _bench.

They sat down, both staring out at the sunny day displayed in front of them. "I think I know why you have been avoiding me." Jace said, breaking the suffocating silence.

Clary swallowed noisily but her face only showed indifference. "Oh?"

"Yeah," Jace said.

Clary could feel his gaze fixating on her face but she refused to look at him. "So what is it?"

"You regret telling me about Jonathan." He told her in a softer tone.

Clary flinched when Jace spoke his name. He was totally off base! Sure, telling him about Jon might not have been the best idea but... _Geez! _She thought about telling him that but quickly decided against it. If she did that he would probably want the real answer. She managed a tight nod, hoping that she looked innocent.

"Oh." Jace said as if he'd been half-expecting Clary to tell him he was wrong. "Umm, well… don't feel bad about it. I won't tell anyone."

Clary groaned, finally mustering up the courage to look at him. "I know you won't! Okay, Jace? I know that you won't tell anyone but… I still shouldn't have told you. Call it a moment of weakness. Whatever. Just forget it ever happened, okay?"

…

"Just forget about it, okay?" Her eyes pleaded for him to let it go. Then a bit softer she added. "Just forget we even saw each other that night. Please."

Jace abruptly turned away from Clary, his body straightening as he tensed. "What if I don't want to forget about it?"

Clary's forehead creased in confusion. "What did you just say?"

"I said what if I don't want to forget about it?" He repeated, staring directly into the shallow forest in front of them. "Look, Clary… I'm not good with, well, feelings and stuff but," his head snapped back up to meet her slightly dazed gaze. "I felt – _something_. I don't know what that something was but it was definitely something." His golden eyes were intense and unfaltering, piercing Clary like an x-ray.

Clary's eyes fluttered close for a minute before she replied. "I don't know, Jace. We're both shadowhunters… this-" she gestured her hand between them "- connection might just be… recognition." Her voice was small and hesitant. "We are the same."

She wasn't lying – Jace could tell – but she wasn't telling the truth either. "Clary-" he began but she cut him off.

"Maybe its best if we just don't hang out for a while?" She suggested. To Jace's relief it didn't sound like she meant it.

"I think that would be a mistake."

Clary sighed, conflicted. "How can you be so sure?"

"I just am," he said simply and confidently, flashing her that grin that no girl could ever resist.

The corners of her lips twitched into a smile that she couldn't hold back. "How do you feel about friends?"

"Oh, I'm not very fond of them; really, I don't tend keep too many of them." He said jokingly, lightening the mood.

Clary laughed, her eyes twinkling in the sunlight. "I meant, how do you feel about us being friends?"

Jace put his hand out. "I think I would like that."

She shook his hand. "We have ourselves a deal."

…

Music was one of Clary's favourite classes but she could barely keep her eyes from drooping as their teacher continued prattling on about the importance of artists like Mozart and Beethoven. She could see that Isabelle was having the same problem. Her friend had her head in her palms, leaning against the table with her eyes closed. Clary suspected that she might actually be asleep.

When the bell finally rang, Isabelle sprung to life her head snapping up. Yep, definitely asleep. Isabelle groaned before standing up and stretching her arms over her head while yawning.

Clary grabbed her bag and began exiting the classroom with Isabelle in a tow.

"Ms. Beaumanior?" Their music teacher Mr. Roberts called. "Can I speak with you for a minute?"

Clary shot Isabelle a nod. "I'll meet up with you later, okay?"

Isabelle rolled her eyes but grunted a 'yes'.

"What?" She asked.

"Umm," Mr. Roberts looked awkward for a second. "You have a real talent in music Clary and I would like to work with you."

Clary stared at him, taken aback by his offer. "I-I'm not really sure, Mr. Roberts."

The old man smiled. "Well… you don't need to commit to anything right now but I think that you could have a future as a singer." Then with a parting grin he made his way out of the classroom. "Just think about it!"

Clary stood there. Frozen. She never thought about it like that. She could have a future. One without shadowhunting. A real future. She could have a normal life. It was a long shot, but it was a chance she was willing to take. Taking a deep breath she ran out of the office after Mr. Roberts.

…

**A/N: I'm also sorry that this chapter was shorter than I meant for it to be but I really wanted to post something!**

**I hope you liked it and, as always, REVIEW to make me UPDATE FASTER!**

**Love ya, **

**M'Jane!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I don't own MI, sadly I don't own the lyrics either. I imagine if I owned either I'd be richer right now. **

**A/N: Hey, I'm warning you this chapter is kind of angsty. Like, more than usual angsty. But b(e)are *grrr* with me. This is necessary for the plot!**

**Playlist: **

**Hide and Seek – Imogen Heap (the perfect song for this chapter! You NEED to listen to it!)**

**On Jace's MP3: Ridin' Solo - Jason Derülo**

**Fuel to the Fire**

**Chapter 12**

"_**Oily marks appear on walls  
Where pleasure moments hung before.  
The takeover, the sweeping insensitivity of this  
still life."**_

_**- Imogen Heap, Hide and Seek**_

...

Clary sat down by her desk, looking through her growing stack of sheet music. She had shown a number of songs to Mr. Roberts and he seemed enthusiastic. Clary just wished that she could say the same thing.

She had always dreamed of having this chance. Even before the "incident" with her father and Jon. But you don't expect dreams to come true. It's always this thing far away that you can gaze out at, dream of achieving but deep down inside you know that it'll never happen. But she always thought that _if _a chance was handed to her, she would grab it and run. Now, she felt almost as if she was standing on the edge of a cliff, staring down at the abyss and fearing the fall. She would be leaving everything she knew – everything that she was raised to believe in - behind by doing this. So she was left with one question. _Is it worth it? _

She glanced out her window. The blinds to Jace's bedroom were shut. She felt a tugging at her heart, a longing. Jace. Jace. _Jace! _One of the reasons she was hesitating was him. He had come along, with his charming smirk, gorgeous looks and his way to understand things about her that she couldn't even figure out for herself! She felt like she could tell him anything. Anything but _this. _He might act like a rebel, but he was a true shadowhunter at heart.

Clary gritted her teeth as she grabbed the demo CD and dropped it into the paper envelope. She ripped the glue stripe off and pasted the package shut. _This is it, _she thought. _I'm dropping this into the first mailbox that I see. _

… And she did.

...

_I'm feeling like a star, you can't stop my shine, I'm loving cloud nine, my head's in the sky, I'm solo, I'm riding solo, I'm riding solo, I'm ridin solo, sooloooo._

Jace jogged through the park, his iPod firmly planted in his pocket and his breath slightly jagged. Not because he was tired, no. He'd definitely had worse. What was new however was the petite redhead running next to him. Clary was wearing a pair of black yoga pants and a bright green tank top. It was... distracting to say the least.

He had planned on running alone but Clary had asked him if she could come along and he'd been happy to let her. He was beginning to regret that decision. Sure, it won him more time with her but she was so _tempting! _But he was her _friend_, it was her idea so he didn't want her to think he was some kind of creeper like Sebastian.

_Yeah, I'm feeling good tonight, finally doing me and it feels so alright, oh,  
Time to do the things I like, going to the club everything's alright, oh!_

Clary bumped her elbow with his and shot him a daring look. She sped up so that she was running in front of him and looked back at him over her shoulder with a look that clearly said "race me, bad boy". Okay, maybe he added the "bad boy" himself but the look was sexy nonetheless. He grinned as he raced after her.

_No one to answer to, No one that's gonna argue, no,  
And since I got the hold off me, I'm living life now that I'm free, yeah._

Clary was just a few inches away from him as he ran his fastest to catch up with her. He caught a whiff of her strawberry smelling hair. He groaned. Had he really sunk so low that he was getting his jollies by sniffing her hair. He was pathet – _bam!_

_Telling me to get my shit together now I got my shit together, yeah,  
Now I made it through the weather better days are gonna get better. I'm so sorry that it didn't work out I'm moving on, _

_I'm so sorry but it's over now-_

Clary fell down to her knees next to Jace, pulling the earphones out of his ears. "Jace! Oh my gosh, are you okay?"

Jace opened his see Clary hovering above his face, her warm breath spreading across his face. His heart stuttered at their proximity and suddenly tripping over your own shoes while sniffing the girl you like's hair, didn't seem all that bad. "You're beautiful," he murmured, reaching up with his hand to brush his fingers along her cheekbone.

Clary flushed scarlet and placed her hand against his forehead in a caring gesture. "Do you have a concussion?"

Jace shook his head, his tangled hair rubbing against the pavement. "No."

She brushed the hair out of his forehead. "Are you sure?"

"I'm fine, Clare. Quit your worrying." He rolled his eyes but made no move to get up. He rather liked the position they were in.

Clary rolled her eyes, "I should have known that you were already insane." He gave her a confused look so she continued. "You were listening to ridin' solo. Whatcha say is so much better!"

"You're wrong," he said, staring into the emerald depths that she called eyes. He wasn't sure if he meant the song or the fact that she wanted them to be _just friends_. Probably both.

Clary leaned even closer to him, so that their noses were almost brushing and their breaths were mingling. "Are you sure about that?" She asked in an alluring voice.

Their eyes met. When gold met green it was like fire running through their veins. Like a single touch could ignite wildfire. It was dangerous and stupid... it was so _them! _Jace could see the want – the need – that lit up her eyes, matching his own desire. He lifted his head of the ground and pressed his lips to hers. It was just a small, gentle, loving, perfect kiss that represented what they felt for each other perfectly.

Clary opened her heavily lidded eyes, gazing down at him. "That was... a mistake." She scrambled up off the ground and stood up.

Jace followed suit, placing his hand on her shoulder. "I don't think that it was."

Clary looked pained, hesitant. "There is so much that you don't know, Jace. So much that you wouldn't understand." She placed her hand on his cheek and traced his cheekbone with her fingertips, making him shiver beneath her touch.

"Try me," he whispered, pleading.

Clary's eyes fluttered close for a brief moment and when she opened them again they were shining with unshed tears. "Will you just tell me one thing?"

Jace nodded feverishly. "Yes."

"Did you kiss Kaelie?" She asked, looking insecure.

Jace gulped. "Yes. No! Clare wait-" He caught Clary's arm and forced her to turn around to look at him. "Just listen to me! I didn't kiss Kaelie. She kissed me. And this," he gestured between them, "this is just the beginning! What we felt when we kissed wasn't some fluke. It was _real!_"

"Yeah, but how can you know that?" She asked. "How can you be so damn sure Jace? Because as hard as I try to understand what is going on between us... I come up with nothing!" She paused. "If you can tell me, then go ahead. But if you can't then I'm telling you. It's better if we just stay friends."

"Do you really think that it would be so simple for us to go back to being just friends after this?" Jace growled, having trouble with keeping his voice down since they were in a public setting. Even though no one was around it was not the ideal place to have this conversation.

"I don't know, Jace." Clary whispered, her shoulders dropping in defeat. "I _truly_ have no idea."

"It doesn't matter that we don't know what the hell is going on." Jace replied, fiery. "Whatever happens... It's all just fuel to the fire that is _us_."

Clary brought her hand down from Jace's face. "Maybe that will be the fire that burns the entire forest down." She whispered tenderly. "Are you willing to take that chance?" She asked, almost begging for him to say yes.

But he just stared at him. Saying nothing. Which to Clary was the equivalent to no.

Clary sniffed, bobbing her head. "I see." She looked away from Jace. Swallowing roughly she said. "I'll see you around Jace."

And with that she ran away from him. Leaving him standing in the middle of an empty park, hearing nothing but the faded beat coming from his iPod.

_I'm riding solo, I'm riding solo, sooloooooooo._

But maybe he didn't want to be solo anymore. And maybe he just blew his only chance with Clary.

…

…

…

**A/N: Mmm... whatcha say? I know this was angsty and stuff, believe me there is more of it to come! I'm really sorry for the short chapter but I'm on a tight schedule right now. Please forgive me! I also didn't have time to proofread. Sorry!**

**Please leave a REVIEW telling me to UPDATE SOON if that is your wish it might be my command!**

**/M'Jane**


End file.
